December 1998, Vol XI, No 4
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Dear LCCC Members
We are all saddened by the election results in the County Commission race. The area is split in half by those who care about growth and those who do not. So, LCCC is going to have to work hard to promote environmental protection and awareness.
Our action fund has been dormant for years. It is time to re-activate this fund for future use. As you pay yearly dues if each of you would include an extra $10.00 for the action fund, we can build this account up again. There may come a time when LCCC will need funds to protect the environment so it is important to get the action fund up and going.
LCCC needs a member or several members to monitor data on the incinerator. This is an area we have been lax in and it is very important that we tackle this environmental nightmare. Please call me if you are interested at 753-3414.
I wish everyone a joyous and peaceful Holiday Season. See you at the Evergreen Holiday Gathering on Tuesday, December 29th and get ready for an active 1999.
Donna Morris
LCCC President
On the Agenda
Tuesday, Dec 29th - 7:00PM
The Mote-Morris House, Leesburg Evergreen Holiday Gathering.
Thursday, Jan 21st - 7:30PM
Tavares Civic Center, Tavares. Regular LCCC Meeting. Guest speaker: Eric Holt. Program on reptile rescue.
Saturday, Feb 6th - 11:30AM
Silver Lake Country Club, Leesburg. LCCC Annual Meeting and Election of Officers and Board Members.
Luncheon. Guest speaker: Vivian Garfein, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. See
LCCC Annual Meeting for details
Thursday, March 18th - 7:30PM
Tavares Civic Center, Tavares. Regular LCCC Meeting. Guest speaker: Carol Lippincott,
SJRWMD, on restoration of the Upper Ocklawaha River Basin. Sunnyhill Fame and Emeralda Marsh.
The Tavares Civic Center is located on the North side of Alfred St. (Old Hwy 441) behind the Tavares library. Once in town, follow green and white signs to Tavares Civic Center, not City Hall.
LCCC Water Issues Committee Report
by Ann Griffin, Chairman
We are all feeling the effect of the loss of Bill Good as County Commissioner in the recent election. Bill was the Commission's water representative. He went all over the state to any water meeting there was in order to protect the water resources of Lake County. Bill's scientific expertise and statewide participation on behalf of the Lake County Commission and all of Lake County will be sorely missed. This loss means we will all have to work harder -- especially to conserve our water supplies.
Proof that hard work and perserverence pay is what happened with the Lake Lowery Emergency Orders. We are still rejoicing over the news that the St. John's River Water Management District Governing Board refused to extend the Emergency Orders which had been steadily draining Lake County's water for five months! The Water Issues Committee and other LCCC members greatly helped. In addition, I want to tank the Save Our Lakes Committee from Clermont for their accomplishemts for Lake Lowery -- with Special thankls to nancy Fullerton and Jim Grant, who have great courage in presenting their beliefs. The excellent work from the Lake County Water Authority under Chairman Gena Swartz has been unswerving. The petitioners from Polk County gave excellent presentations to the Governing Board at the Emergency Order meetings. I would also like to thank Dick Seron for his investigative work on Lake Lowery structure construction and Dr. Bernie Yokel for making all those phone calls to the Governing Board before the Lake Lowery presentations. This is an excellent example of government and citizens doing hard work together. The permanent structure permit is still in the Administrative Hearing process, so there is plenty of hard work ahead of us.
The St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) Water Supply meeting are still in full force. Everyone should try to attend these meetings which are planning for water supply until 2020
. Remember, growth in Orange County affecrts us by 50%.
Blondine Galbreath, Chairman of the LCCC Environmental Education Committee announced the 1998 round of EnviroGrants. The committee considered 27 applications from 31 teachers. There
were 23 elementary and 4 middle schools participating. The committee awarded a total of $1,500.00 in grants for environmental education projects in the classroom. The committee appreciates
the generousity of the members in support of the EnviroGrant program.
Congratulations to Hal Turville
Hearty Congratulations to Hal Turville on his election as Mayor of Clermont. His level-headed and concerned approach to problem solving will be an asset to that growing community in South Lake.
He also has been elected Chairman of the Board of the Florida Audubon Society. All the best for your continued success, Hal.
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During Lake County's visioning process, a process many of our members participated in throughout the county, the proliferation of signs and the general "ugliness" of our commercial corridors were so frequently mentioned that to clean-up the clutter became one of the goals for Lake County Tomorrow.
For many years, Lake County, along with the rest of Florida, has been losing scenic beauty, not to mention its unique character, to a pervasive and intrusive tackiness mostly along our commecial strips as we are bonbarded by messages from every direction with "the-bigger-the-better" mentality. Allowing this visual blight is not only detrimental to the quality of life of our citizens but runs counter to our other goals of promoting eco-tourism and preserving the uniqueness of Lake County. In addition, nationwide surveys indicate that attractive, small and less numerous signs are pro -business since they do a better job of "selling" at lower cost.
There will be public hearings on this issue, starting with the Planning and Zoning meeting at 9:00AM on January 6, 1999. We, as LCCC, as participants in Lake County Tomorrow and as individuals need to speak up and be counted. Otherwise, the "vision" for a better Lake County and the goals agreed on will not come to pass. Activisim is even more important after the devastating loss Lake County has suffered with Bill Good's defeat. We must not take the election results as a signal against what we believe in. (Bill won Lake County but lost the absentee votes.) The citizens of Lake County, I believe, agree with Chief Justice Warren Burger when he said, "Pollution is not limited to the air we breathe and the water we drink; it can equally offend the eye and ear."
Gena M. Swartz, Board of Directors
Citizens for Scenic Florida
Visit the Citizens for Scenic Florida Website?
The citizens of Florida gave themselves a nice present for the next century when they resoundingly voted for Constitutional Amendment 5. The 72.3% affirmative vote was a clear mandate for
conservation, the acquisition of sensitive lands, the unification of fish and wildlife resource management and protection for public land that is acquired for conservation. Next, it will be
important to keep our legislators aware of our support for these initiatives as legislation is written to enact the intent of Amendment 5.
At the September LCCC meeting, Sharon Farrell, Director of the Department of Growth Management brought the team handling the various aspects of growth management in Lake County . Each person described their area of responsibility. Interagency cooperation with SJRWMD, DEP, and the Sheriff's Office increases efficiency in providing services and reduces duplication making for cheaper government.
Jim Thomas of Biosphere presented a slide program on planning a butterfly garden at the October meeting. Native plants are in decline because of the decrease in insect pollinators resulting in low seed production. Pesticide spraying kills all insects and removes an important link in the food chain. His slices showed larval and nectar food plants that attract and increase population of butterflied and other pollinators.
From the minutes by Ann Griffin, LCCC Sec.
The LCCC Anuual Meeting and luncheon will be held on Saturday, February 6, 1999 at the Silver Lake Country Club in Leesburg. Check-in and social will be at 11:30AM and lunch will be served at noon. The menu has not been selected at this time, but will offer a choice of meat entree or a vegetarian meal, with salad, dessert, and beverage included in either choice. The cost of the lunchen is $12.00, tax and tip included. A printable form is available. Use the form to make your reservation and to pay for your luncheon. Send your reservation in before February 3, 1999.
The annual meeting will feature guest speaker Vivian Garfein, Director of District Management, Central District, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She will adddress the future direction of DEP under the in-coming administration, including the concept of Ecosystem Management.
In the business part of the annual meeting, there will be the election of five LCCC Officers and two at-large Board members. As always, we welcome guests, so plan to bring a friend to our annual
event. Please sent in your reservation promptly. For further information, call Donna Morris or Ruth Gray.
Stop by the Board of County Commissioner's Office and pick up any or all of the following publications currently available. The BCC 1998 Annual Report which contains the present State of
the County and plans for the future. A speaker's bureau brochure listing all programs available to groups wishing to learn more about county government services. And, be sure to get The Digest of
Lake County Services which is a hand citizen's guide to all the departments, programs, and services offered through and funded by Lake County Government.
Ruth Gray, Chairman of LCCC's Growth Management Committee has a publication titles "Water Resource Protection Manual for Florida Activists" available for $1.00. Underwritten and published
by Floridians for a Sustainable Population, the manual contains statutes, regulations, and is a guide for citizen action for water resource damage. Call Ruth to obtain a copy.
Thanks to Jewel Bennett, LCCC member in West Virginia, for the following recipe for the birds in winter.
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Mix all together. Add bird seed mix with sunflower seeds and mix again. Press into suet molds or into balls and place in netting. Freeze until putting out for the birds. Woodpeckers love this!
LCCC Annual Meeting Luncheon Reservation
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Please send this reservation and payment to: LCCC Treasurer; 1118 Old Mt. Dora Rd; Eustis, FL 32726.
Please return by February 3, 1999.
A new year and time to renew your LCCC membership. You will have three easy ways to get your renewal in: turn it in at the Evergreen Holiday Gathering, mail it in to the LCCC Treasurer, or turn it
in at the Jan 21st regular meeting. LCCC needs your continuing support. To be eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting, your application and dues must be received by January 31, 1999.
This is an on-line transcription of the quarterly newsletter of the
Lake County Conservation Council
1118 Old Mt. Dora Road
Eustis, FL 32726
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Lake County,
FL
