From Andrea, on the Septic Tanks

Andrea, thank you for keeping us posted on this!!! Dave

Welcome to politics 101. Thanks to John Byrd for staying on top of the situation. I will pass updates as we know more. In the meantime, I urge you to clear your calendar to attend this meeting. John notes that there are elected representatives on this commission….however, if the elected representatives are not representing you, they need to be reminded what their role is and who they are accountable to. Their role is not that of a parent who tells you when you may speak and what you may respond to. Note that environmentalists are in this group, but no homeowners or businesses.

If the meeting date or time is changed, I will let you know.
Andrea





From: Byrd, John
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 8:21 AM
To: 'Gihring, Jennifer'



9 April 2009

Ms. Gihring:

Upon review of the attached agenda for next Wednesday’s Wekiva BMAP Working Group meeting I must confess I do not understand why public comment is only allowed prior to the beginning of the actual substance of the meeting.

In the Lake Jessup BMAP process public comment was allowed through-out the entire meetings and I believe that has been a positive experience for all concerned. By allowing public comment during the meeting ideas & suggestions are permitted to flow and questions are answered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) that assist everyone in understanding how FDEP intends to determine the required financial commitment of local governments and individual homeowners and businesses. Why change the process for this BMAP?

I know that there are representatives of local government who are members of the Wekiva Basin Working Group but there are zero representatives of homeowners associations or businesses that are members of the Wekiva Basin Working Group as was suggested even though environmental groups are represented on this panel.

Why not allow a free flow of information at these meetings? Please re-consider this otherwise I fear this process will be fundamentally flawed from the beginning.

Additionally, since the location of the meeting has been changed from the original published Florida Administrative Weekly notice is this still a legally permissible meeting on 15 April 2009? I have copied the Orange County Attorney’s Office as well concerning these matters.

Sincerely,

John Byrd