@SFWMD
@JaxStrong
@joenegronfl
@RepMurphyFL
@SteveCrisafulli
https://twitter.com/GILBERTI_WATER_/status/599224523653816320
Remember this day. The day of Issac. I’ll never forget. I thought I was going to marooned on Floresta. I thought the river was overflowed.. The water was half way up the mailboxes , the ground was caving in on Primavista, Federal was totally flooded. All the news channels were focused on down south and boy did those folks have it bad.
http://gotowncrier.com/2012/09/letter-sfwmd-to-blame-for-the-flooding/
shot the day of issac going north on the Roosevelt bridge
But the SFWMD is pointing their long fingers at everyone else. First, they blame Acreage residents for “building in a swamp, and they deserve what they get.” Well, for the record, The Acreage is not and never was a swamp — at least not before the SFWMD came onto the scene. The vast majority of land in The Acreage is scrub land, not swamp land. Pine trees don’t grow in swamps.
Now, more recently, the SFWMD is blaming Gov. Rick Scott for the flooding. They claim that he cut their funding, which somehow caused the canals not to work right. But Rick Scott has been governor for only a few years. Why hasn’t the SFWMD fixed the canals previously? So basically, the SFWMD can try blaming others for their negligence, but ultimately, the flooding was all their fault — not the Indian Trail Improvement District, not the Acme Improvement District, not Rick Scott, not Isaac, not Santa Claus and not anyone but the management of SFWMD.
Employee Review from Indeed
http://www.indeed.com/cmp/South-Florida-Water-Management-District/reviews
employee review
FEB 2015
OK place to work, but VERY political environment. ”
I have been working at South Florida Water Management District full-time (More than 10 years)
Pros
Benefits such as health insurance, vacation leave, sick leave and holidays are all very good. The work itself is fulfilling. Central Palm Beach County, Florida location is good.
Cons
Three words – Political, Political, Political. The SFWMD is dictated by the Governor, and it was never so bad as now. Since the new governor came into office four years ago, the organization has become mediocre (versus the envy of the world) and the employees have lost numerous benefits including paid vacation accrual, holidays, educational reimbursements, leave buyout at termination and a much weakened defined benefit program.
Advice to Management
Do the right thing regardless of what the state politicos want you to do. Make efforts to regain trust and loyalty of your employees.
JAN 2015
“Used to be a family, now it is a political whip for the Gov. ”
I worked at South Florida Water Management District full-time (More than 10 years)
Pros
Great benefits, however getting worse with the current political agendas. Great work life balance and investing opportunities. For an agency of the State, they provide a semi-competitive salary. Excellent computer technology and top of the line systems. Better than even some large private companies, this organization attempts to provide the best tools to it’s employees in order to be more efficient.
Cons
After the reorganization, moral has dwindled. Benefits continue to be cut, and the agency is headed toward being run like a state agency. Highly political. Decisions often made contradict laws and rules of Florida.
Advice to Management
Don’t lose the “family” feeling by beating up employees just to satisfy the Governor.
Dec 2014
“Used to be a great place to do great work ”
I have been working at South Florida Water Management District full-time (More than 10 years)
Pros
The work has the potential to be very fulfilling and meaningful. Above average benefits.
Cons
Working for a governor and state legislator who think government employees are akin to welfare cheats. Pay is below the market rate (and that’s OK) – but now no raises for 7 years, people who are working at higher levels still aren’t getting promoted, and work that is supposed to be getting done, isn’t because the staffing has been cut back too far.
Advice to Management
Pray for no catastrophe because you won’t be able to deal with one. No enough of the right (trained) staff and funds.
Yikes. Not what you want to be reading right before Hurricane Season.
This is already happening.
Yes they have used eminent domain before.
“OKEECHOBEE—During eminent domain trial proceedings Wednesday, surveyors from the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) admitted that property the district is trying to take was never surveyed.
The district is trying to acquire over 300 acres along the Kissimmee River in northern Okeechobee County that belongs to members of the Luna family. The district now says the property is needed for the Kissimmee River Restoration Project.
“The family is willing to grant them easements, that’s all they (SFWMD) need,” said Mr. Wright.
But instead of taking easements, the district is also wanting to take approximately 263 acres in fee simple. This means the SFWMD would then own that property outright and could do whatever it wants with the land.”
As we can see SFWMD is not the happiest place on earth. Not only have they screwed up but somehow they have made what was a non partisan issue partisan. All this time we have been going there they just told us they couldn’t do what we asked but they never said “We think we have a better idea.” Why? Because they don’t. They apparently don’t believe in sea level rise, or salt water intrusion, or in CERP that was suppose to be a water storage project south of the lake, or the fact that Everglades are dying, and wells in south florida are filling up with salt water. They are full speed ahead to privatize our water. Stay tuned to a water bill near you.
what ever happens we’re gonna need a bigger boat.
cyndi lenz 
[…] design criteria within the State of Florida” wow. Stormwater So I refer you back to this. https://cyndi-lenz.com/2015/05/17/sfwmd-employee-review-advice-to-management-pray-for-no-catastrophe-… Stormwater management is a big deal and according to the employees of SFWMD they couldn’t […]
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Sfwnd employees have a staring salary a mid point salary and top out.Probably 95percent of field station workers with over 20years of service is not even,close to thier mid point.That means a full career at Sfwmd is fifty years.What a joke
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Valuable discussion ! I was enlightened by the specifics , Does someone know if my assistant can locate a template a form document to edit ?
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