Governor Charlie Crist recently appointed Kelly S. Rice to the Withlacoochee River Basin Board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Rice was appointed to succeed Paul M. Mazak. He lives in Webster and is president of the Rice Cattle Company. His term began Feb. 9 and ends March 1, 2011.
The Withlacoochee River Basin includes portions of Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Pasco, Levy and Sumter counties.
The District has seven regional Basin Boards that provide guidance for local programs that are specific to the basins they protect. The District’s eighth basin, the Green Swamp, is administered by the Governing Board. Basin Boards work with local governments and other entities on water resource projects that have an impact in local communities. Basin Boards often provide partial funding for these projects in partnership with a local government or local cooperator.
Basin Board members are unpaid citizen volunteers appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. They serve three-year staggered terms.