Board of Supervisors
South Indian River Water Control District (SIRWCD) was established as a Special District in 1923. South Indian River Water Control District is organized and exists pursuant to Chapter 298, Florida Statutes, as amended and supplemented, and other applicable provisions of law, including a number of special acts of the Florida Legislature relating to the District, particularly Chapter 2001-313, Laws of Florida.
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors who serve three-year terms. Supervisors are elected by a vote of the landowners based on parcel acreage. All Supervisors must reside in Palm Beach County and must own land in the District. Current rules dictate that at least three Supervisors must reside in the District and one Supervisor must reside in the area east of the C-18 Canal and one must reside in the area west of the C-18 Canal.
Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to the supervisors at the e-mail addresses listed below. Instead, contact the District office by phone or in writing.
Michael Howard
West-Side Resident
Michael Howard was elected to the Board of Supervisors in September 2016. In December 2022, he was named President.
Michael Howard moved with his family to Jupiter Farms in 1999 and quickly became active in a variety of community activities. He has served on the boards of Jupiter Farms CERT, Northeast Everglades Trails Association, and Jupiter Farms Environmental Council. He was Vice President of the Beacon Cove PTO for three years, led the Lighthouse/Beacon Cove Dad's Club for eight years, and served on the Palm Beach County School District Academic Advisory Committee and the Jupiter High School School Advisory Committee. He has also served as Junior Warden on the Vestry for Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.
Mr. Howard has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Texas A&M University. After graduation, he worked for a landscaping company as a designer, installer, salesperson, equipment operator, truck driver, and mechanic as well as having responsibilities in the nursery production side of the business. Since moving to Florida, he has been a stay-at-home parent and an active community volunteer.
He is married to Alicia Howard. They have two children, one pursuing a degree in Vocal Performance at Stetson University and the other a software engineer for Amazon.
Susan Kennedy
West-Side Resident
Susan Kennedy was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in March 2021 and elected to the Board in 2021.
Susan Kennedy is a life-long resident of Jupiter Farms. The Kennedys moved to the Jupiter Farms area with the opening of Riverbend Park in the late 1960s, then relocated to their farm when the park was purchased by Palm Beach County. Ms. Kennedy grew up here showing cows in 4-H and swimming in the Loxahatchee River.
After college and law school, Ms. Kennedy returned to Jupiter Farms and immediately became an advocate for the community's rural lifestyle and area's irreplaceable natural resources. As an attorney, she has practiced in local government, environmental and land use law. She co-founded the Jupiter Farms Environmental Council and the Loxahatchee River Coalition, where she used her expertise to guide the public in advocating for the preservation of thousands of acres of land surrounding Jupiter Farms, defeating or mitigating multiple irresponsible development applications and securing the restoration of fresh water flows to the Loxahatchee River. Ms. Kennedy also served as a member and Executive Director of the Everglades Coalition and has participated in numerous water development plans and advocacy campaigns for the preservation and restoration of our water resources. More recently, she became a ceramic and mixed-media artist, while continuing to represent local organizations in land use and environmental issues.
Ms. Kennedy's involvement in the many issues of the area has provided her a deep understanding of the interrelated issues of water and development and the importance of balancing private property rights with the public good.
Beth McElroy
East-Side Resident
Beth McElroy was appointed to the Board of Supervisors in December 2024.
Beth McElroy has been a landowner in the District for more than 30 years. She has a Master of Public Adminstration degree, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and over 30 years of government experience, including a backgound in water management with South Florida Water Management DIstrict as the Director of Emergency Management and Safety from 2012 to 2021. In addition to her technical knowledge, her government experience also includes a background in human resources, budgeting, outreach, and intergovernmental coordination.
She also has expertise in professional planning, project management, data management and analysis, and research. She developed the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan for the South Florida Water Management District, which included the 16-county region from Orlando, south through the Florida Keys.
Prior to her tenure with South Florida Water Management District, Ms. McElroy was a Senior Emergency Management Planner with Calvin, Giordano & Associates, a Terrorism Response Planner with Palm Beach County Emergency Management, and an Investigator and Analyst with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
John Meyer
West-Side Resident
John Meyer was elected to the SIRWCD Board of Supervisors in September 2015.
Mr. Meyer has been a resident of Jupiter Farms for over 21 years. His experience includes over 38 years of public service, including 22 years with the South Florida Water Management District and 18 years supervising and managing permitting and enforcement related to road, drainage, and construction projects.
He has chaired committees establishing funding and operation of the G-160 water control structure in the Loxahatchee Slough and the reclamation of Unit 11 in the Hungryland Slough. He has served on the Jupiter Farms/PBCE Wetlands Task Force, the Executive Committee and Technical Advisory Group of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program, and was a member of NOAA’s St. Croix Restoration/Relief Team following Hurricane Hugo in 1990. He has presented papers to the Florida Engineering Society and American Water Resources Association, as well as being a guest lecturer at Nova University. He co-authored the Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method for the State of Florida, directed the SFWMD’s water shortage enforcement program from 2007 to 2011, and was the principal author of the SFWMD’s enforcement manual prior to retiring in 2015.
He is married to Sara Anne, with one son, Jeffrey, who grew up in Jupiter Farms and is now employed by the SFWMD.
Thomas Powell
Tom Powell has served as a supervisor since 1981. In December 2022, he was named Vice President.
He continues to be a strong advocate of the landowners of the District. Mr. Powell believes that the desires of the people should come first. Whether it’s maintaining the existing infrastructure or initiating a new capital project, it should be driven by the wishes of the people, not the Board. Several major drainage system improvement programs and road improvement programs have been completed with the support of the landowners during this time period. Above all, affordability is key. A balance between the level and quality of maintenance in the District and the cost to the landowners is very important. Tom Powell continues to strive for the best balance, and will continue to serve the landowners.
Mr. Powell graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1964 and moved to Palm Beach County in 1966 where he has lived with his family. Tom designed his home in the District and his whole family was “hands on” in the building. “A great adventure for all of us,” he says.
Mr. Powell worked for McDonnell Aircraft Corporation on the Space Program in mid-60s, then worked for Pratt & Whitney at the West Palm Beach Facility for 33 years before retiring in 1999. He was responsible for managing advanced technology programs for the U.S. Government and international customers.
Mr. Powell has been a member of numerous professional and technical societies and has served on numerous special panels and technical committees.
Jane Woodard
Jane Woodard has been the Board Secretary and Recording Secretary for SIRWCD since 1980. She's responsible for recording and transcribing the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Supervisors and associated duties.
Ms. Woodard received her A.S. degree at Palm Beach Community College and C.L.A. designation from the National Association of Legal Assistants, Inc.
She has been owner/president of Legal Assistance for the Palm Beaches, Inc. since 1990. She provides legal assistant services for real estate matters to individual attorneys and law firms in Palm Beach County.
She has been a resident of Palm Beach Gardens since 1979. Ms. Woodard also is a teddy bear artist creating one-of-a-kind natural fur teddy bears from recycled fur coats (i.e. mink, seal, Persian lamb, rabbit). She preserves family heirlooms and keepsakes as "HEIRBEARS" (www.heirbears.com).