Guided by the belief that all politics is local and the best strategy for sustained legislative success is one that continually engages local officials’ participation.  We encourage all Ridge League city officials to be active in the legislative process.  From the smallest city to the largest, from Arcadia in the south to Zephyrhills in the north, WE STAND TOGETHER TO SUPPORT LOCAL AUTHORITY.

Legislative Advocacy

Florida League of Cities Legislative Priorities

2023 State Legislative Save the Date

#CommonGrounds

Brew up stronger relationships with your legislators! When state and local officials work together, Floridians benefit. We must collaborate to solve problems and improve Florida. 

To help us foster and build these relationships, I am excited to announce that this year’s focus will be themed around my way of breaking the ice: coffee and conversation, or what we will call  #commongrounds. 

By finding #commongrounds, we put people over politics, access over agendas and success over shouting. 

These face-to-face meetings in a low-stress environment can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. I also encourage you not to talk shop but to get to know your legislator. This fall, lawmakers will be back in their districts. And after the election, we will undoubtedly welcome newly elected legislators. This situation presents a perfect opportunity to connect or reconnect with your state leaders. Learn what is important to them, and ask them what we can do to help them have a successful upcoming session.

Let’s bring home a strategic partnership that will benefit all of Florida and all we serve because Floridians deserve leadership that works for them.

Below you will find the #commongrounds toolkit of resources. I hope each of you finds something helpful or motivational to start these conversations with your legislators.

#CommonGrounds Toolkit

While it’s up to the individual to find the right coffee shop, this toolkit provides some tips and information that will lay the foundation for a good start. In this toolkit you will find information about: 

  • Relationship types
  • Tips for overcoming the political divide
  • How to localize issues
  • And more!
Download Toolkit

Advocacy Toolkit

The Florida League of Cities is proud to share this comprehensive Advocacy Toolkit for elected officials.

Whether you’re a newly elected official or you’ve been in office for a number of years, The Advo-Kit advocacy toolkit from the Florida League of Cities has something for every local leader to help make your advocacy even more successful.

New to office? The Advo-Kit has sections explaining the importance of Home Rule and examples of legislation that impact your community, as well as information on contacting your legislators, crafting your message and building relationships with legislators.

For those officials already experienced in advocating, The Advo-Kit has resources for you too, such as working with the media to spread your message and suggestions on media outlets to follow, as well as reminders on how to properly testify in front of legislative committees and keys to lobbying in person, virtually or via email.

Let The Advo-Kit help to ensure your advocacy is as successful and impactful as possible.

Home Rule Heroes

The Florida League of Cities is recognizing more than 150 municipal officials with Home Rule Hero Awards for their work during the 2023 legislative session.

Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both elected and nonelected, who consistently responded to the League’s request to reach out to members of the legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue. They worked tirelessly throughout the legislative session to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s municipalities and advance the League’s legislative agenda.

“On behalf of the League and its legislative team, we’re very proud to present this year’s Home Rule Hero Awards to a deserving group of municipal leaders,” said FLC Director of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. “We had a record number of Home Rule Heroes this year, which shows the dedication and impact of local officials on behalf of their residents and businesses in protecting local decision-making. They’re heroes for Home Rule and we thank them for their efforts.” 

The following local officials were constantly engaged and actively advocating for their communities throughout the 2023 Legislative Session. Members from the Ridge League are bolded.

Each Home Rule Hero will be presented with their award at a future date. Want to see your name on next year’s list? Click here to learn how you can be a Home Rule Hero!

2023 Home Rule Heroes. Jeff Branch, Senior Legislative Advocate with the Florida League of Cities (FLC) presented fifteen (15) Home Rule Hero Awards to Ridge League Officials at the June RLC Membership Dinner.  From left to right: Jeff Branch, Mayor Nancy Daley, Lake Alfred; Commissioner Tracy Mercer, Winter Haven; Vice Mayor Sam Fite, Bowling Green; Mike Herr, City Manager, Bartow; Commissioner Trish Pfeiffer, Bartow; Steven Hunnicutt, Asst. City Manager, Davenport; Commissioner Omar Arroyo, Haines City; Jeff Tillman, City Manager, Auburndale; City Manager Tom Ernharth, Eagle Lake; Dawn Wright, City Clerk, Eagle Lake; Council Member Marlene Wagner, Lake Hamilton; and Mayor Dorothea Taylor Bogert, Auburndale. Unable to attend the presentation were Mayor Brad Dantzler, Winter Haven; Commissioner Leo Longworth, Bartow; and Commissioner Scott Black, Dade City;

  • Council Member Diana Adams, City of West Melbourne
  • Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch, City of Sarasota
  • Vice Mayor Ross Ambrose, City of High Springs
  • Commissioner Omar Arroyo, City of Haines City
  • Commissioner Antonio Arserio, City of Margate
  • Courtney H. Barker, AICP, City Manager, City of Satellite Beach
  • Councilor Thom Barnhorn, City of Seminole
  • Commissioner B.J. Bishop, Town of Longboat Key
  • Commissioner Scott Black, City of Dade City
  • Mayor Michael Blake, City of Cocoa
  • Tim Bolduc, City Manager, City of Crestview
  • Councilman Anthony Bonna, City of Port St Lucie
  • Commissioner Rufus Borom, City of Palatka
  • Council Member Julie Botel, City of Riviera Beach
  • George S. Brown, Deputy City Manager, City of Boca Raton
  • Mayor Woody Brown, City of Largo
  • Mayor Felicia M. Brunson, City of West Park
  • Commissioner Richard Bryan, City of Daytona Beach Shores
  • Councilmember Doug Bryant, City of Mount Dora
  • Mayor Donald O. Burnette, City of Port Orange
  • Commissioner Traci Callari, City of Hollywood
  • Sarah Campbell, C.M.C., Town Manager, Town of Orange Park
  • Vice Mayor Jolien Caraballo, City of Port St. Lucie
  • Paul Carlisle, City Manager, City of Sebastian
  • Commissioner Joy Carter, City of Coral Springs
  • Commissioner Coleen Chaney, Town of Belleair
  • Daniel P. Clark, PE, Town Manager, Town of Lake Clarke Shores
  • Mayor Chris Cloudman, City of DeLand
  • Mayor Daniel J. Comerford, III, Town of Jupiter Inlet Colony
  • Ed Cook, City Manager, City of Callaway
  • Mayor Nancy Z. Daley, City of Lake Alfred
  • Mayor Bradley T. Dantzler, City of Winter Haven
  • Commissioner Lisa Kane DeVitto, City of Crescent City
  • Council Member Ed Dodd, City of Sebastian
  • Darrel Donatto, Fire Rescue Chief & Director of Emergency Management, Town of Palm Beach
  • Mayor John Dowless, City of Edgewood
  • Commissioner Todd Drosky, City of Deerfield Beach
  • Council Member Yvette Drucker, City of Boca Raton
  • Thomas Ernharth, City Manager, City of Eagle Lake
  • Brenda Fettrow, City Manager, City of Rockledge
  • Vice Mayor Robert Samuel Fite Jr., City of Bowling Green
  • Councilman Fred Forbes, City of Bonita Springs
  • Vice Mayor Joshua D. Fuller, Town of Bay Harbor Islands
  • Lee Garner, Town Manager Town Manager, Town of Sneads
  • Commissioner Eric Gerard, City of Largo
  • Mayor Anne Gerwig, Village of Wellington
  • Councilwoman Mindy Gibson, City of Satellite Beach
  • Ella Gilbert, Deputy City Attorney, City of Port St. Lucie
  • Vice Mayor Kimberly Glas-Castro, Town of Lake Park
  • Council Member Stuart “Stu” Glass, Town of Indialantic
  • Reese Goad, City Manager, City of Tallahassee
  • Councilwoman Sandy Golding, City of Jacksonville Beach
  • Jorge M. Gonzalez, Village Manager, Village of Bal Harbour
  • Mike Grebosz, Assistant City Manager, City of DeLand
  • Mayor John Gunter, Cape Coral
  • Mayor Rex Hardin, City of Pompano Beach
  • Council Member Janet Hernández, Village of Indiantown
  • Mike Herr, City Manager, City of Bartow
  • Council Member Jake Hill, Jr., City of Lake City
  • Councilman Jeff Hmara, Village of Royal Palm Beach
  • Mayor Christine Hoffman, City of Jacksonville Beach
  • Councilmember Denise Horland, City of Plantation
  • Mayor Linda Hudson, City of Fort Peirce
  • Steven M. Hunnicutt, Assistant City Manager, City of Davenport
  • Councilman Dan Janson, City of Jacksonville Beach
  • Mayor Richard Johnson, City of Sanibel
  • Commissioner Curtis Johnson, Jr., City of Fort Pierce
  • Mayor Joanne “Cookie” Kennedy, City of Indian Rocks Beach
  • Councilmember NanDrycka King Albert, City of Midway
  • Deputy City Manger Lori LaVerriere, City of Palm Beach Gardens
  • Town Administrator Joseph F. Lo Bello, Town of Lake Clarke Shores
  • Commissioner Leo E. Longworth, City of Bartow
  • Commissioner Sarah Malega, City of Lake Worth Beach
  • Commissioner Bob Mayersohn, City of Parkland
  • Commissioner Kaija Mayfield, Town of Sewall’s Point
  • Mayor Carol M. McCormack, Town of Palm Shores
  • Andrea McCue, City Manager, City of Greenacres
  • Commissioner Debbie McDowell, City of North Port
  • Michael McNees, City Manager, City of Marco Island
  • Commissioner L. Tracy Mercer, City of Winter Haven
  • Councilman Fernando Meza, City of Jacksonville Beach
  • Mayor Nancy Miller, City of Daytona Beach Shores
  • Gregg Mims, City Manager, City of Indian Rocks Beach
  • Frank Moehrle, Deputy City Attorney, City of Port St. Lucie
  • Councilwoman Stephanie Morgan, City of Port St. Lucie
  • Commissioner Janice D. Mortimer, City of Starke
  • Vice Mayor Clara Murvin, City of Pahokee
  • Commissioner Danny Nugent, City of Starke
  • Councilor Jim Olliver, City of Seminole
  • Mayor Frank Ortis, City of Pembroke Pines
  • Commissioner Tony Ortiz, City of Orlando
  • Mayor Karen Ostrand, Town of Ocean Breeze
  • Mayor Nick Pachota, City of Venice
  • Mayor Lois Paritsky, Town of Ponce Inlet
  • Mayor Bill Partington, City of Ormond Beach
  • Mayor Tyler Payne, City of Treasure Island
  • Commissioner Trish Pfeiffer, City of Bartow
  • Mayor Chelsea Reed, City of Palm Beach Gardens
  • John P. Regan, P.E., City Manager, City of St. Augustine
  • Vice Mayor Thomas B. Reid, City of South Pasadena
  • Mayor Betty Resch, City of Lake Worth Beach
  • Vice Mayor Joanne Ribble, Village of Estero
  • Commissioner Campbell Rich, City of Stuart
  • Commissioner Jamie Robinson, City of Largo
  • Councilmember Cal Rolfson, City of Mount Dora
  • Mayor Greg Ross, City of Cooper City
  • Council Member Isaac Salver, Town of Bay Harbor Islands
  • Mayor Dan Saracki, City of Oldsmar
  • City Commision Vice ChairTerry Schaefer, City of Holmes Beach
  • Councilman Bill Schaetzle, City of Niceville
  • Mayor Ken Schneier, Town of Longboat Key
  • William “Mac” Serda, Town Manager, Town of Hillsboro Beach
  • Joyce Shanahan, City Manager, City of Ormond Beach
  • Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline, City of St. Augustine
  • Alexis Silcox, CMC, City Clerk, City of Belleair Bluffs
  • Commissioner Joshua Simmons, City of Coral Springs
  • Mayor Scott Singer, City of Boca Raton
  • Councilmember Holly Smith, City of Sanibel
  • Councilor Trish Springer, City of Seminole
  • Mike Staffopoulos, City Manager, City of Jacksonville Beach
  • Councilmember Susan Starkey, Town of Davie
  • Council Member Sarah Stoeckel, City of Titusville
  • Commissioner Robert F. Stuart, City of Orlando
  • Commissioner Fabiola Stuyvesant, City of Sunny Isles Beach
  • Commissioner Matthew Surrency, City of Hawthorne
  • Mayor Dorothea Taylor Bogert, City of Auburndale
  • Darrel Thomas, Asst. City Manager/ Chief Financial Officer, City of Weston
  • Councilwoman Susana Thompson, Town of Orange Park
  • Christine M. Thrower-Skinner, Village Manager, Village of Golf
  • Jeff Tillman, City Manager, City of Auburndale
  • Ann Toney-Deal, City Manager, City of Seminole
  • Mayor Chris Via, City of Holly Hill
  • Commissioner Jeniffer Viscarra, City of Sunny Isles Beach
  • Vice Mayor Marlene Wagner, Town of Lake Hamilton
  • Mayor Leslie Waters, City of Seminole
  • Mayor Dowling R. Watford, Jr., City of Okeechobee
  • Councilmember Teresa Watkins Brown, City of Fort Myers
  • Mayor JB Whitten, City of Crestview
  • Mayor David Will, Town of Redington Beach
  • Mayor Steve Wilson, City of Belle Glade
  • Dawn Wright, City Clerk, City of Eagle Lake
  • Mayor Molly Young, Village of Tequests