Original Story Link: http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110526/NEWS/110529540/&Title=Dave-Moore-Executive-Director-of-Swiftmud-Resigns&template=printart
Dave Moore, Executive Director of Swiftmud, Resigns
Published: Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 9:53 p.m.
BROOKSVILLE | Dave Moore, executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, has resigned.
Moore announced his resignation in a letter Thursday to Paul Senft, chair of the agency's Governing Board.
Moore said he would be willing to remain in his $194,875-a year position to aid with the transition to his successor.
Moore, a geologist, had been with the agency since 1984. He was named executive director in 2003.
In his one-page letter, Moore, 53, gave no reason for his resignation, focusing instead on what the agency, which oversees water permitting in a 16-county area that includes most of Polk County, had accomplished in recent years.
He specifically listed better water-conservation efforts, streamlined permitting, land stewardship and other efforts that he said "serve as a model for Florida and the nation."
Senft issued a statement Thursday saying the board's next step will be to decide on a process for picking a successor.
Senft said board members will also consult with Herschel Vinyard, the secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the water management districts.
Board member Neil Combee said Moore had discussed his intentions to resign earlier this week.
He speculated that Moore had picked this time to step aside at a time when there's a new governor and a new head of the DEP, and possible changes in state water policy.
Combee and Senft are Polk County's members on the governing board.
Combee said over the past two years board members had been pressing Moore to reduce the budget and the staff in light of reduced workload and and reduced revenue because of the decrease in the tax base.
Gov. Rick Scott successfully pushed a measure in this year's legislative session to force water management districts to cut their tax rates and reduce their budgets.
That move led to this week's decision by the Swiftmud Governing Board to abolish the eight basin boards, which would save an estimated $400,000 a year. The current year's budget is $279 million. (Emphasis added by me)
Moore is the second water management district head to resign suddenly in recent weeks. Carol Wehle resigned abruptly in April from the South Florida Water Management District.
[ Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com or 863-802-7535. Read more views on the environment at http://environment.blogs.theledger.com . ]
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