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the Egret Marsh and Spoonbill Marsh projects. The Osprey Marsh will soon be in <br /> operation adding to these efforts. <br /> In the Lagoon itself we recently established a new oyster reef, the first of what I <br /> believe will be a series of oyster reefs put in the Lagoon to help filter and clean <br /> the water. <br /> We can and will return the Lagoon to health. <br /> But, as elected officials we need to proceed in a way that is open and transparent <br /> and is consistent with the principles of good government, principles, which <br /> support our American form of Representative Democracy. <br /> The existing Indian River Lagoon-National Estuary program is being reorganized. <br /> The reorganization has been rushed from the start with the single goal of getting <br /> a new organization in place as soon as possible. The rush to a new inter-local <br /> agreement has been repeatedly justified by saying, now is the time to get <br /> buckets of State and Federal funds for new projects. We must complete the <br /> reorganization now, as quickly as possible, in order to get as much money as <br /> possible. <br /> Interestingly, repeated almost as a mantra, right after "more money now" has <br /> been the idea that the reorganized IRL-NEP will result in more local control. I will <br /> note that there was never a discussion on how the IRL-NEP was to be <br /> reorganized to result in more local control and my reading of the agreement tells <br /> me that rather than more local control, what local control there is, will be <br /> significantly eroded. <br /> I will now relate highlights of the project beginning with the first time the <br /> possibility of reorganization was mentioned to the IRL-NEP Advisory Board. <br /> 1. April 30, 2014 — IRL-NEP Advisory Board meeting. Drew Bartlett, Deputy <br /> Director of FDEP, asks to be added to the agenda in order to "float an <br /> idea". He is added to the Agenda and later, as the minutes of the meeting <br /> state: "Mr. Bartlett led the Board in a discussion about whether the <br /> SJRWMD should remain the IRLNEP sponsor, or if another form of <br /> sponsorship is appropriate." <br /> 2. June 25, 2014 — IRL-NEP Advisory Board meeting. Reorganization of the <br /> existing IRL-NEP is discussed and an IRLAB subcommittee is formed. I <br /> volunteered for and was appointed to the subcommittee. Staff was directed <br /> to get certain information, including examples of the Mission Statements of <br />