A St. Petersburg man on Friday was elected chairman of the Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board.
Watson L. Haynes II, also president of the Coalition for a Safe and Drug-Free St. Petersburg, will oversee the 11-member board that sets policy for the district, commonly called Swiftmud. The district manages water resources in west central Florida. Haynes was appointed to the board in 1999 and previously served as vice chairman and treasurer.
The board also elected Heidi B. McCree of Tampa as vice chairwoman, Judy Whitehead of Brooksville as secretary and Talmadge "Jerry" Rice of Dade City as treasurer.
The officers serve one-year terms. The unpaid board members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate for four-year terms.
"We were selected to make difficult decisions,"' Haynes said in a written statement, "decisions that will affect our ability to meet our water supply needs while ensuring a sustainable water supply and a protected environment."
