Audubon extends a warm welcome to the new South Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board appointees and newly appointed executive director Melissa Meeker.

Governor Rick Scott announced Tuesday the appointment of four new South Florida Water Management District Governing Board members, as well as the re-assignment of an existing member.  The new SFWMD governing board appointees are:  Daniel DeLisi, James “Jim” Moran, Daniel O’Keefe and Timothy Sargent. Glenn Waldman, originally appointed by former Governor Charlie Crist, seat will now represent Broward County.

Audubon looks forward to working together with the new and existing appointees to protect the water resources of south Florida and restore America’s Everglades.

In addition, Audubon sincerely congratulates Melissa L. Meeker in her new role as Executive Director of the South Florida Water Management District and strongly supports her pending confirmation by the Florida Senate.

This week the SFWMD unanimously appointed Meeker, effective June 1.  Ms. Meeker’s previous service as a SFWMD Governing Board member, as well as her background in biological sciences and environmental resource management, enable her to understand the unique challenges facing the south Florida ecosystem. 

As a Governing Board member, Meeker was a voice for Everglades restoration by voting in support of SFWMD acquisition of lands owned by U.S. Sugar Corporation in order to build water storage and treatment projects to deliver clean, freshwater to parched portions of the ecosystem, while eliminating damaging pulses of water releases to other areas of the ecosystem.

With a newly minted Executive Director and five newly appointed Governing Board members, the South Florida Water Management District enters a new era.