News Release
April 25, 2016

Candidate for County Commissioner John Whikehart Calls for Governmental Collaboration to Protect Water Quality of Lake Monroe

Democratic County Commissioner candidate John Whikehart today called for a formal evaluation by all stakeholders of the proposed update of the master plan for Lake Monroe by the Army Corps of Engineers.

“As Monroe County moves forward as a vibrant community it becomes essential to protect the valuable natural resources of the region,” Whikehart stated. “In particular, it is in the interest of Monroe County government to safe guard the long- term viability of Lake Monroe, and protection of the watershed is vital.”

Whikehart emphasized the imperative to review the proposed master plan to guarantee the priority of Lake Monroe as a source of water for the community. He pointed out that the City of Bloomington is working to address issues affecting water quality, but county government must be involved in that planning.

“This is not just a city utility issue,” Whikehart said. “I served for 9 years on the City of Bloomington Utilities Service Board, and it is paramount that the county commissioners work with the City of Bloomington, the Army Corps of Engineers, DNR, and all stakeholders to protect this valuable natural resource.”

Whikehart said if elected county commissioner, he would ask the other two members of the board to join him in a formal request to other governmental entities to collaboratively evaluate the proposed master plan.