Eying environment Web Head: Boca-Raton-green-task-force
October 2nd, 2008
By Dale M. King
CITY EDITOR
Even before she became mayor, Susan Whelchel was an interested in protecting the environment.
She’s now putting together an environmental task force, one that would involve those in government along with representatives from the educational and business community.
Coincidentally, her proposal is taking place about the same time a brochure called “The City of Boca Raton, A Green and Sustainable Community,” is hitting the streets.
The task force initiative picks up on an item from her mayoral inaugural address. “The city has done a number of environmentally friendly things,” she noted, “but we have never created a program with defined goals. We have just gone along, and been fortunate and did a substantial number of things.”
She sent letters explaining her proposal to Troy McLellan, president and CEO of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce; Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan; Lynn University President Kevin Ross; Bernadette Russell, provost of Palm Beach Community College and Mary Wong, who heads up the Office Depot Foundation.
The mayor noted that FAU has a couple of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings – one complete, one in the works. She said Russell approached her about six months ago, who discussed the possibility of students in advanced environmental courses working with the city.
Also, the mayor said, Office Depot has an expert environmentalist on staff. She hopes the groups will partner with her, City Manager Leif Ahnell and Assistant City Manager Mike Woika, who will coordinate the effort.
The panel’s task will be to come up with programs and ideas that are environmentally friendly.
In her letter, she pointed out that Boca Raton “has been working on community sustainability for many years,” and has embarked on such programs as recycling water and preserving environmentally sensitive land.
She said the city has even added a web page to the Boca site “promoting community involvement in sustainability and environmental stewardship.”
“We must all do our part to protect the environment to ensure the world we know is sustainable for future generations,” she said.
Whelchel said she hopes to meet with the task force within a month.
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