Lee VCB Office, Room 325, 12800 University Drive

NGO Summit

March 20, 2008 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM

Lee VCB office, Room 325, 12800 University Drive

Greetings:

You are cordially invited to a facilitated roundtable discussion on water resource issue prioritization for southwest Florida on March 20, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. The Southwest Florida Watershed Council will host the discussion and prepare a summary document to help guide future strategies. The gathering will take place at the Lee VCB office, Room 325, 12800 University Drive and is the 6-story building at the southeast corner of the intersection of Summerlin & College Parkway.

The purpose of the discussion is to gather regional NGO organizations and explore the potential for shared priorities regarding water resources. Please bring two of your organizations highest priorities for 2008 and one long term goal to share in the discussion. We will not place a value on any group’s priority issue since each organization has a potentially different orientation to the resource.

However, we will attempt to establish common priorities (one or two overarching priorities) as the primary goal. What strategy will be implemented to collectively achieve common priorities will be an open discussion and may involved such ideas as a cost share approach to hiring a lobbyist, setting up PAC’s, garner funding support etc.

Please RSVP by responding to this message and if possible, please include a brief (two or three sentences) written summary of your two highest 2008 priorities and one long term goal. This will help facilitate the discussion. We will set no definition of priority type but can for example include; projects, rule development, comprehensive plan amendments, legislation, litigation etc. There is no limit to how many individuals may attend from each group, however, it is preferable to have just one individual articulate the groups priorities.

The following organizations have been invited but please let me know if I have left any off:

Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, Caloosahatchee River Citizens Association, Responsible Growth Management Coalition, Sierra Club, PURE, Council of Civic Associations, Estero Council of Community Leaders, Pine Island Civic Association, Friends of Billy’s Creek, Audubon Society of Southwest Florida, Collier Audubon Society and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your participation.

John Cassani, Chair Southwest Florida Watershed Council 239-848-5426