Area leaders attend Regional Planning Council session

 Front row L to R: Bradford County Commissioner Daniel Riddick, Chair of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council; Robert Wilford, City of Alachua Commissioner; Doug Jones, City of Archer Commissioner; Noah Valenstein, Executive Director of the Suwannee River Water Management District; Mayor Louie Davis, City of Waldo; Harvey Budd and Helen Warren, City of Gainesville Commissioners; and Scott Koons, Executive Director of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

GAINESVILLE – Bradford County Commissioner Daniel Riddick, Chair of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council welcomed Noah Valenstein, the Executive Director of the Suwannee River Water Management District to the Feb. 25 meeting of the Council held in Lake City.  Also in attendance were City of Gainesville Commissioners Harvey Budd and Helen Warren; City of Alachua Commissioner Robert Wilford; City of Archer Commissioner Doug Jones; and City of Waldo Mayor Louie Davis.  Mr. Valenstein’s remarks provided Council members an overview of the Suwannee River Water Management District’s mission, programs and projects focusing on enhancing partnerships, planning for an adequate water supply and managing water resources throughout the north central Florida region. 

The Council, whose members are local elected officials and gubernatorial appointees, administers a variety of state and federal programs for north central Florida including Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Marion, Suwannee, Taylor and Union Counties.

Programs include development of the Strategic Regional Policy Plan, technical assistance to local governments in development of comprehensive plans, land development regulations and grant management, and administration of developments of regional impact, local mitigation strategies, hazardous materials, homeland security and economic development programs.

In addition, the Council staffs the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area, the North Central Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee, the North Central Florida Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team and The Original Florida Tourism Task Force.

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