Treasure Coast Newspapers
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch was as surprised as anyone when she was first appointed to the governing board of the South Florida Water Management District.
It was February 2019. Gov. Ron DeSantis was one month into his first term. He was busy after his inauguration, making decisions to bolster his commitment to clean-water policy in the Sunshine State.
His appointment of Thurlow-Lippisch, a longtime clean-water advocate from Martin County, was a win for the St. Lucie River, Indian River Lagoon and the Treasure Coast. She rolled up her sleeves and learned much more than she previously knew about the complex, convoluted and unfair plumbing system managed by her new agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Thurlow-Lippisch built and improved relationships. She spent countless hours communicating complicated water policy issues to clean-water advocacy groups, farmers, Native Americans and elected officials. She alerted community leaders and water managers when human health risks like toxic algae appeared. She built a camaraderie with clean-water advocates from the Keys to Orlando.
All while serving as a volunteer. Governing board members are not paid.
When DeSantis re-appointed her to a second four-year term in June 2022, no one raised an eyebrow. Having Thurlow-Lippisch continue to represent the 16-county, 8-million resident territory was a no-brainer.
Apparently to all except some Florida senators with a different ― as of now, mysterious ― agenda.
Thurlow-Lippisch was summoned to Tallahassee for required confirmation hearings and a vote. She met with key senators and two Senate subcommittees ― only to be told there was no need for her to be there for a vote by all 40 senators. There wouldn't be a confirmation vote after all.
On May 5, the record shows, the Senate failed to confirm her by taking no action. Thurlow-Lippisch returned to the Treasure Coast with lots of unanswered questions.
There's one person who certainly could tell the public why Thurlow-Lippisch was not confirmed: Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, the second most powerful person in state politics under Florida's Constitution. She did not reply to our editorial writer's email.
Thurlow-Lippisch told TCPalm columnist Ed Killer she knew something was amiss when Passidomo refused to meet with her one-on-one. A former high school teacher and Sewall's Point mayor, Thurlow-Lippisch, now a Realtor, compared the awkward process to "an arranged marriage."
Surely, someone would explain to Thurlow-Lippisch why she wasn't confirmed? Nope. No one has had the decency to tell her in person, by phone call, email or even text. She was simply ghosted by the state's senior legislative body.
Thurlow-Lippisch suspects her treatment had something to do with comments she made in 2022 about Senate Bill 2508, a last-minute power grab by the Senate. Thurlow-Lippisch and several fellow governing board members spoke out loudly about the Senate's attempt to wrest water control power from water management districts, among other things.
Wisely, DeSantis vetoed the bill. Still, Passidomo; Wilton Simpson, then Senate president and current agriculture commissioner; and Ben Albritton, R-Bartow, the next Senate president; might have been stung.
How many people don't get reconfirmed? In the 2023 legislative session that recently ended, the Senate confirmed 317 of 329 DeSantis appointees, including 14 of 16 water management district board appointees.
Here's why this should matter to you. Not confirming Thurlow-Lippisch sets in motion a series of problems:
- The governing board seat could be left vacant for the next three years. That would be a disservice to Treasure Coast constituents who care about the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem.
- The seat could be filled by someone who does not understand the damages of Lake Okeechobee discharges or St. Lucie County canals like C-23 and C-24 to the St. Lucie River.
- The seat could be filled by someone who does not even live in Martin or St. Lucie counties.
Such Star Chamber-like treatment of a public servant like Thurlow-Lippisch is unprofessional ― at best. The lack of transparency in the Senate is an affront to all Floridians and might dissuade good people from offering to serve the state in the future.
Although details are unclear, Thurlow-Lippisch thinks her appointment can be resurrected only by DeSantis. Even she admits, though, he might be a little busy with his presidential campaign.
Thurlow-Lippisch's term expires June 19. DeSantis should do what's right. Treasure Coast residents deserve her clear-minded leadership on clean water.
Editorials published by TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers are decided collectively by its editorial board. To respond to this editorial with a letter to the editor, email up to 300 words to TCNLetters@TCPalm.com.