The City of Tampa’s City Council annual committee selections changed the City’s membership on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board. We have to say goodbye to Councilmember Lynn Hurtak. Hurtak served with distinction and was a fervent advocate for the Hillsborough River. Her enthusiasm on the River Board will be missed and we wish her well in her continued work on the Tampa City Council.
The new City of Tampa representative on the River Board is Tampa City Council Chair Guido Maniscalco. Maniscalco previously served on the River Board and is known for his understanding and advocacy for the importance of the river to the City and its residents. We look forward to Maniscalco’s return to the River Board.
We also said goodbye to Richard Formica, the City of Tampa’s citizen representative to the River Board’s Technical Advisory Council (TAC). Formica served for 11 years and carefully monitored water levels and flows in the lower river. He was an important link to the community, including the Tampa Homeowners Association of Neighborhoods (THAN) group.
Tampa City Council appointed Tampa resident Joel Brown as the new Tampa citizen representative on the River Board’s TAC. Brown previously served on the River Board’s TAC as the Southwest Florida Water Management District staff. He currently serves as Regional Affairs Manager for Tampa Electric Company. Over the past decade, Brown has worked in the offices of the late Congressman C.W. Bill Young, former Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, and most recently in Regional Government Affairs capacities for the Southwest Florida Water Management District and Pinellas County Utilities. He is a 3rd generation native of Tampa, a lifelong Floridian, and a proud USF Alumnus of Political Science and Sustainability programs. We welcome back Brown’s experience, knowledge, and passion for the Hillsborough River.