GAINESVILLE — The North Central Florida Regional Planning Council Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force adopted a resolution at its meeting Feb. 28 in Lake City finding that the continuing and repetitive spills of raw sewage into the Withlacoochee River and Mud Creek by the City of Valdosta, Georgia is unacceptable and intolerable. 

The resolution also requests the support of the state of Florida, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Suwannee River Water Management District and all other interested agencies in addressing the issue of raw sewage spills by the City of Valdosta, Georgia.  

Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force members are Commissioner Rick Davis of Madison County, Chair; Commissioner Beth Burnam of Hamilton County, Vice-Chair of the Task Force. Other Task Force members are Commissioner Ken Cornell, Alachua County; Commissioner Daniel Riddick, Bradford County; Commissioner Ronald Williams, Columbia County; Commissioner Gene Higginbotham, Dixie County; Commissioner Kendrick Thomas, Gilchrist County; Commissioner Anthony Adams, Lafayette County; Commissioner John Meeks, Levy County; Commissioner Don Hale, Suwannee County; Commissioner Thomas Demps, Taylor County; and Commissioner James Tallman, Union County.   

The Council, in partnership with economic development organizations and local governments, promotes regional strategies, partnerships and solutions to strengthen the economic competitiveness and quality of life of the 12 counties and 40 incorporated municipalities in the north central Florida region. The Council, whose members are local elected officials and gubernatorial appointees, administers a variety of state and federal programs for north central Florida including Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor and Union counties. Programs include development of the Strategic Regional Policy Plan, technical assistance to local governments in development of comprehensive plans, land development regulations and grant management, and administration of hazardous materials, homeland security and economic development programs. In addition, the Council staffs the Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization for the Gainesville Urbanized Area, the North Central Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee, the North Central Florida Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team and The Original Florida Tourism Task Force.

The Council’s offices are located in Gainesville. More information about the Council can be found at ncfrpc.org.