Today's Lake County, FL Board gets earful about St. John's River Water Management District plans to move 250,000 truckloads of sand.

Tavares, FL                     July 10, 2018

Today, I was at the Lake County Board meeting, and tab 39 was a big discussion about whether the St. John's River Water Management District would be allowed to start moving sand from a conservation area they own in Lake County resulting an estimated 330,000 truck trips over 5 years or 200-250 truckloads a day on two minor road used by residents. After many public comments by affected residents, the Board voted to decide on an ordinance at a future meeting that would NOT allow trucks over 10 tons to traverse either of the two rural roads which are not designed for such heavy traffic. Lots of cheering.

This whole fiasco came up because the SJRWMD Board decided to authorize selling the sand to make $1.4-million while (according to residents) decimating wildlife, quiet, road safety, etc.   

I gave public input about the little known fact that the LJRWMD is a multi-county regional system where Board members are appointed by the Governor (not elected) and Lake County has NOT had a representative on their board since the 1970's. Two insiders told me it was because high political contributors got the positions and apparently no one in Lake County contributed as much as the other counties. Thus the Lake County Water Authority (LCWA) periodically gets blamed for lake water levels and other issues that are really controlled by the SJRWMD and we don't have a seat on their board. I told the County Board they need to make this a legislative priority to get rules changed so Lake County always has a member on the SJRWMD Board.

 

After that discussion, most people left and the room was almost empty except for staff, myself and 2-3 others. That is when the Board discussed their summary budget deficit and what maximum millage rate to be conveyed to the public before final budget and millage decision hearings in September. Government goes to those that show up. If no Lake Countians (or press) show up, you get what you didn't want.

 

 

 

In the beginning of the meeting, the Board Conference room was almost full of employees getting awards and residents affected by the SJRWMD plan to move tons of sand. Once those points were discussed, they all disappeared and didn't hear other issues like planned property tax increases. (by not reducing the millage rate)

 

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Vance Jochim for Lake County Water Authority Board At Large.

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