Hey, remember JTL?

We do. Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch was a solid advocate for the Treasure Coast region during her time on the South Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board, often agitating — politely — for clean-water solutions for her community.

But in Florida that sort of thing gets you blacklisted, and so it was that in early 2023, the Florida state Senate failed to reconfirm Thurlow-Lippisch for a new term. Her time on the board ran out in June 2023; and her seat, representing the Treasure Coast, has been vacant ever since.

If you’re counting, that’s 17 months. And while at-large SFWMD Governing Board member Cheryl Meads does represent Treasure Coast interests — along with Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties — we’re approaching two years without direct representation for one of the regions most vulnerable to dirty-water problems — see our item below on Lake Okeechobee discharges.

That effectively robs the region of its voice. Maybe that’s the idea.

But perhaps you’d like to ask Gov. DeSantis why the seat is still vacant, and when he plans to fill it. Email him at Go******************@eo*.com; call (850) 488-7146; or write a personalized letter and send it to: Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, State of Florida, The Capitol, 400 S. Monroe St.Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001.

It’s way past time to right this “oversight,” which only underscores our contention that Florida’s water problems are ultimately political problems. And the only way we’re going to solve them is by putting pressure on elected officials; and if they fail to respond, by backing candidates who WILL put the people ahead of the special interests.