Back in 2020, this Task Force of the dozen downstream Florida counties was instrumental in getting a Consent Order on Valdosta by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD).

The Task Force was dormant for a while, but recent Valdosta sewage spills have caused it to be reactivated. Some of its members already met privately with several Valdosta City officials a month or more ago. Now a long-awaited public meeting has been announced.

Also, we finally have a list of the members of the Task Force.

Y’all come.

Florida River Task Force and Valdosta City Council, Valdosta City Hall Annex, Wednesday, July 30, 2025

The email notice received this morning says:

River Task Force Members, Interested Persons and News Media,

Please be advised that there will be a Middle and Lower Suwannee River and Withlacoochee River Task Force and City of Valdosta City Council Joint Workshop at the City of Valdosta City Hall Annex, 300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia on WEDNESDAY, July 30, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

Members of the River Task Force are:

Rick Davis, Madison County, Chair
John Hale, Suwannee County, Vice-Chair
Anthony Adams, Lafayette County
Mary Alford, Alachua County
Thomas Demps, Taylor County
Rocky Ford, Columbia County
William Martin, Gilchrist County
Melissa McNeal, Union County
Desiree Mills, Levy County
James Murphy, Hamilton County
Daniel Riddick, Bradford County
Jody Stephenson, Dixie County

Please let me know if you will be attending at least 24 hours prior to the workshop.

Thank you!

Scott

Scott R. Koons, AICP
Executive Director
North Central Florida Regional Planning Council
2009 NW 67th Place, Gainesville, FL 32653-1603
Email: koons@ncfrpc.org
Voice: 352.955.2200, ext. 101
Fax: 352.955.2209

PLEASE NOTE: Florida law has a very broad public records law. Most written communication to or from government officials regarding government business are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your email communication may be subject to public disclosure.

Let me add that if the entire Valdosta City Council is going to be there, or even a quorum of it, that makes it a public meeting, which means that according to Georgia law anyone can attend and record sound or video or by other means.

Still, he asked for RSVP, so it would be polite to let him know you’re coming.

Here is the Workshop Notice, map, and Agenda.

Workshop Notice

Map: Valdosta City Hall Annex
PDF

AGENDA
MIDDLE AND LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER AND
WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER TASK FORCE
AND
CITY OF VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL
WORKSHOP

July 30, 2025
6:00 p.m.

City of Valdosta City Hall Annex
300 North Lee Street
Valdosta, Georgia

1. INVOCATION
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. WELCOME
4. INTRODUCTIONS
5. CITY OF VALDOSTA
6. MIDDLE AND LOWER SUWANNEE RIVER AND
   WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER TASK FORCE
7. NEXT STEPS

Agenda
PDF

See also Update: Valdosta Sugar Creek Sewage Spill Testing 2025-07-17
https://wwals.net/?p=67980

And:
https://wwals.net/issues/testing/

Table: Sugar Creek Spill Testing & Withlacoochee River wide, 2025-07-16 —Valdosta Utilities

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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