Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed longtime Panhandle business leader Tom Morgan to the Northwest Florida Water Management District, adding a new member to the Board that oversees water resources across a broad section of the state.
The appointment, announced Friday, places Morgan on the panel responsible for shaping water policy and managing conservation efforts across a region that stretches from the Big Bend to the Alabama state line.
Morgan is well known in the Franklin County area, where he owns Apalach Outfitters, an outdoor apparel and supply store located in downtown Apalachicola. The shop, which he operates with his wife, Sharon Morgan, has become a fixture in the coastal community.
Before entering the retail sector, Morgan served as president of Residential Development for the St. Joe Co., one of Florida’s largest and most influential real estate developers. His background in both private-sector development and small business management provides state officials with experience that they say can be useful in guiding water policy in a region experiencing both growth and environmental pressures.
Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi.
The Northwest Florida Water Management District is one of five water districts created under Florida’s 1972 Water Resources Act. The district is responsible for the protection, planning and management of water supplies across 11,305 square miles, serving roughly 1.5 million residents. Its jurisdiction spans more than a dozen counties, including Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington and the western portion of Jefferson County.
Water management districts play a key role in protecting natural systems, supporting drinking water availability and managing flood risks. They oversee permitting, land conservation, environmental restoration and stormwater planning throughout their regions.
Morgan’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. If approved, he will help guide policy decisions affecting rivers, springs, wetlands and aquifer systems that supply water to communities and ecosystems across Northwest Florida.
