Mayor Becky Bruner and City of Stuart Environmental Advocacy Celebration

 Mayor Becky Bruner and City of Stuart Environmental Advocacy Celebration

Stuart, Florida – On August 29 Mayor Becky Bruner and the City of Stuart held a celebration for all of us that have been advocating for the River.

 Mayor Becky Bruner and City of Stuart Environmental Advocacy Celebration

Mayor Becky Bruner and City of Stuart Environmental Advocacy Celebration

This was her lovely speech:

The ACOE started discharging this year during the dry season into the St Lucie River Feb 23-March 31. 

They were trying something  new -a new plan- a change to their LORS••••lakeO regulations schedule••

to get Lake O-   

water table down and maybe we’d have less discharges in the summer. 

We’ve had a much cleaner clearer river without the normal discharges – WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!

At  the beginning of summer the lake was just under 11 ft. 

But back in May the ACOE Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Reynolds gave a press release statement saying, “we won’t be doing that again next year. “

I figured they wouldn’t anyway, because the opposition was all out in full force with political propaganda, they were determined they’d stop this. 

••••hold newspapers and praise STUART NEWS•••

They have went so far as to file a Lawsuit against

The ACOE… 

the ARMY CORP. , probably says get in line because  everyone else is suing us. 

BUT 3 weeks ago I read in the paper that the ACOE’s had decided they would start discharges and try it again next year  in the dry season Feb and March. 

I couldn’t believe what I was reading. 

I decided this was the greatest milestone and we sure needed to come together and celebrate and fight just as hard and not let up. 

You the people of Martin County have given up  so much of your time, energy and money over the years  to see this come about! 

So that’s why we’re here today to celebrate the good news. 

For 20 years THE RIVERS COALITION has held us all together. The monthly meeting are updates on what’s going on and the speakers have come from all over Florida with the best knowledge. 

I want to mention a few things you all have done in the last 6 years. 

YOU FOLKS held a giant river rally in 2013 

And many more since then. 

Many rally’s  at  Stuart beach,  Rally’s and sign waving on the bridges. 

You held rallies at senators and congressmen’s offices. 

You all went  in groups to wave signs and speak at SFWMD meetings. 

You all MET at many ACOE meetings and spoke up. 

Went to All the county commissioners mtgs and the city and spoke up. 

You held press conferences. 

Many of you spoke eloquently regarding saving our rivers on the TV news stations. 

Held meetings in each other’s homes. 

You guys built the “save our rivers”  float for the Christmas parade. 

The river warriors were marching behind the  float and 

Maggy was up on the float 2 years in a row ringing that large antique railroad bell !!  WE SURE HAD FUN!!

You built podiums and stages to hold these rally’s so you could speak to the large crowds. 

You took days off from work, losing money all because the River came first -you knew it was dying. 

Many businesses donated money, building materials, signs, water, vehicles and much more. 

Those businesses and citizens here in MC 

 helped to raise $10,000. Dollars for the indianRiver keeper. 

You washed cars and held  fundraisers to get a large group of river warriors up to Washington DC on a large chartered bus Oct 2013 so you could meet with your senators and congressmen there and again you  spoke eloquently  before the panel pleading to save the rivers. 

You all even have your own River pilot and plane with his wife filming and documenting the black plumes and discharges and the blue-green algae as it reaches the ocean.  

And our very talented and creative artist janeen she painted hundreds of colorful fish on wood (you all helped her) those fish were  stapled on our Xmas float, she plastered those fish all over this county with a save our river theme. and she took them to Tallahassee !!

Several here still go to Washington DC asking for help. 

You have lawyers who have filed lawsuits, and some lawyers who help create laws and helping our legislators. 

Many here continue to go to Tallahassee yearly or monthly. 

Mark perry  has been right there for all of us ! 

He’s always answering our questions. He continuously feeds us knowledge and science and data. 

I think Mark has educated the whole state of Florida on the Kissimmee River the Everglades, and the EAA. 

He has  over 40 yrs stored in that brain. ???

I COULD GO ON AND ON 

BUT 

I believe one of your  greatest accomplishments that has led to your victories, 

was six years ago when you took to social media. 

Keri West started the first FB social media group. (You didn’t have this kind of audience 8-10 years ago.) NO ONE WAS ON FB YET!!

Now you have the #toxic18 page  and the people you’ve reached on there are from all over USA and definitely from all over florida

The audience on FB social media changed the game for spreading the danger we were in. 

You are the advocates here in Martin County who have pushed and Exposed, and Explained and educated  all on FB. That’s why you have gotten this far. 

You have  helped move and  guide other counties and municipalities to want to fix their water issues too.

You’ve been on the forefront and have helped guide and educate Our newly elected officials on lake O and the Everglades the EAA and all the way to FLORIDA BAY. And our older elected officials too. 

They’ve all had to step up, dig in and start repairing the damage. 

Those newly elected officials were given much knowledge, sound information and tons of  data on the discharges and lake Okeechobee. 

And they listened !

THEY LISTENED SO WELL THAT YOU ARE  the reason we have a  NEW South Florida Water Management District Board. 

The river advocates here in Martin County have been on the forefront. 

EVERYONE OF YOU the greatest, strongest, best people I’ve known and I’m proud to be a MARTIN COUNTIAN!!

 

All these years, especially these  last 6 years have taken us farther than we would have ever thought. 

SO with that enjoy your evening 

And 

WE AT THE CITY

THANK YOU 

      THANK YOU

      THANK YOU 

Mayor Becky Bruner August 29, 2019

Mayor Becky Bruner with Dr Cristina Maldenado and Jacque Thurlow Lippish is the background

Mayor Becky Bruner with Dr Cristina Maldenado and Jacque Thurlow Lippish is the background

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