Thursday, October 13, 2016
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin issued the following statement after the Oklahoma Water Resources Board appointed Julie Cunningham as interim executive director:
“I applaud the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s decision to name Julie Cunningham as interim executive director of the agency. Julie is an experienced water professional who will continue to lead the agency after J.D. Strong’s departure. She brings great insight from working within every division of the agency during her 22-year career with the agency. She has been serving as the chief of planning and management, overseeing appropriations of water across the state.
“Water continues to be one of my major priorities and I look forward to making appointments to the Water Resources Board and having them confirmed in the coming months. I also appreciate the Water Resources Board’s plan to allow for new board members to be seated before the hiring of a permanent director.”
The Water Resources Board plans to follow a similar process to find a permanent director that has been used in other executive agencies. The governor plans by the start of the next legislative session to make appointments to the Water Resources Board for seats representing northeast, northwest, and southeast Oklahoma. Those appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate.