Robert Albright said he and his brother don't talk often and aren't familiar with each other's political views on every subject. He said he would consider both the public good and the impact of district regulations on property owners, particularly in agricultural areas. Ottenstroer and Jeff Jennings could not be contacted. Bush also appointed Ometrias Long, an Apopka lawyer, and William W. Kerr of Melbourne Beach, an ecologist whom environmentalists had endorsed for the position. In announcing appointments last week, Bush's office circulated a statement saying the governor named people who would be ''objective stewards,'' not tied to any special interest.
State records indicate the other appointees gave little or nothing to candidates.
It's not surprising that politicians' relatives were considered for appointments, said Kathy Chinoy, whose term on the board expired this month. She said capable candidates can easily rise to people's attention if they're tied to someone already known to the governor's office. The St. Johns appointees were part of a roster of 25 people Bush named to districts around the state Friday. All require Senate confirmation, but the St. Johns appointees are expected to start serving immediately to give the nine-member board the quorum required to take any action. Enter words describing a concept or keywords.