Christi Veleta is the program administrator for the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board.
HOW LONG HAS SHE WORKED FOR THE CITY?
Twenty-three years.
WHAT DOES SHE DO?
She is responsible for the majority of the outreach programs and educational activities of the EPB. “My main function is to orchestrate all of the meetings and hearings of the EPB and to ensure compliance of Chapter 119 [Government in the sunshine] of the Florida Statutes.”
GOVERNMENT AND SUNSHINE?
“It means every decision the EPB makes has to be done out in the open and in public.”
BEFORE CURRENT POSITION?
She began her career with the City as an air quality technician, conducting inspections at industrial and commercial facilities to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. She would also respond to citizen complaints regarding air pollution. She then moved into air monitoring where she was responsible for one-third of the ambient air monitors in Jacksonville. In 1985, she began working with the Environmental Protection Board.
BEFORE JACKSONVILLE?
She was a permanent substitute teacher in her hometown, Hammond, Ind., where she taught fourth and fifth grade.
MOVED TO JACKSONVILLE?
In 1979 with her husband, who was transferred here with the Navy.
WHY GET A JOB WITH CITY?
“When I moved to Jacksonville, the pay for teachers was very, very low, so I began to explore other options. When I saw the job with the City in the environmental department, I applied.”
WHAT MADE HER INTERESTED IN THE QUALITY OF OUR AIR?
“Environmental protection was an avocation of mine while I was in high school and college. I grew up in a very industrialized area so it was important to me to think about air quality and the environment and what that meant for future citizens.”
COLLEGE
She has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Indiana University.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE
ABOUT YOUR JOB?
“I like the fact that I get to do a lot of different things that I hope have an impact on a better environment for Jacksonville.”
LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR JOB?
“Probably when there is a situation that we are unable to address because of the parameters of the rules under which the EPB operates.”
WHO’S “DRIPPY?”
Veleta is often seen with Drippy, the EPB’s water droplet mascot. “Drippy was first introduced by Public Works Department’s Water Division a number of years ago. They came up with a water conservation play that was put on in schools. Drippy would make appearances at the schools in conjunction with the play to help convince children to conserve water. When the water and sewer functions of City government were transferred to JEA, it was not interested in utilizing Drippy, so the EPB adopted Drippy as its water conservation mascot.”
FAMILY
She has been married to Bob, who works for the Navy as an engineering technician supervisor, for 21 years. They have two daughters, Emily, 18, and Katie, 14.
CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
She is a member and elder at the Lake Shore Presbyterian Church and chairman of the Air & Waste Management Association’s Education Council. She is president of Earth Day Jacksonville, Inc.
HOBBIES
She likes to do different types of arts and crafts, walk and ride her bicycle.
FAVORITES
“Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” is a movie she saw recently and would recommend. “It was very well done.” A book she would recommend is “Garden of Faith” by Lynne Hinton. When relaxing at home, she enjoys tuning into “Ed.” When dining out, she enjoys Tom and Betty’s at Roosevelt Square. Her favorite place to visit is Florence, Italy.
— by Michele Newbern Gillis