Governor Charlie Crist recently reappointed several members to one of the seven Basin Boards of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Peace River Basin Board:
- Rufus Lazzell of Punta Gorda was reappointed. He is a retired US Army Brigadier General and former mayor of Punta Gorda. His term began June 22 and ends March 1, 2012.
- Fred Trippensee of Avon Park was reappointed. He is the president of Trippensee & Co. Inc. His term began June 22 and ends March 1, 2012.
- Paul Samuels of Bowling Green was reappointed. He is a land lease manager for the Mosiac Company. His term began June 22 and ends March 1, 2011.
The Peace River Basin Board area includes portions of Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, and Polk 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. Each of the Basin Boards includes a minimum of one person from each county within the basin, and there must be at least three members on each board. Each Basin Board has at least one of the 13 members of the District’s Governing Board that serves as the Board’s chair ex officio.