Carol Wehle Is Out at SFWMD

After six years on the job and swirling in controversy, South Florida Water Management District Executive Director Carol Wehle, 56, announced her retirement from the district Wednesday. She did so in a letter to interim board chairman Joe Collins presented at a closed-door workshop (see letter attached below).

The impending news was first reported in Sunshine State News last Friday, when district insiders confirmed that Gov. Rick Scott -- troubled over incidents of fiscal mismanagement and ethics violations at SFWMD -- had asked Wehle to step down. The governor, however, was less specific at the time. "I haven't made up my mind yet," he said.

One of Wehle's colleagues, speaking on the promise of anonymity Wednesday evening, said Wehle was given the week to prepare her resignation in lieu of dismissal. Though the next meeting is Thursday, her departure is effective April 29, which will leave the 1,930-employee district with its $1.1 billion budget leaderless by the following meeting. "Thursday's meeting is only about water shortage," the colleague said, "but I expect they'll have to take up where we go from here with the executive director position."

Wehle was hit with two bombshells. In the first, the Palm Beach Post reported March 27 that the SFWMD had hired her live-in boyfriend for a $120,000-a-year job. He had been hired in a watchdog role to keep his eye on her. Even Eric Buermann, former chairman of the board, admitted he thought Wehle had pulled the wool over his eyes. Then, a week later, investigative reporter Dan Christensen brought out his revealing fiscal mess of a story in the Broward Bulldog, "Water district loses $1.5 million on Hollywood companys failed pumps; now buying $2 million more."

There would have been more revelations to come, district employees told Sunshine State News, and Wehle likely knew it.

Another employee said Wehle had never wavered in her belief that the Charlie Crist deal for U.S. Sugar Corp. land -- whittled down as it was -- should be pursued at all costs in the middle of the recession. And she pushed the district board hard to buy it.

"Gov. Scott thought (the land purchase, 26,800 acres for $197 million) was a bad deal and said so," the employee said. "I think even without the scandals, Carol lost his support right there."

The governor is yet to appoint five vacant seats on the board at SFWMD.

Sunshine State News was unable to locate Wehle for an interview Wednesday after the district workshop meeting.