20th Annual Regional Awards for Excellence and Elected Officials Luncheon
We are excited to share the highlights from the recent 20th Annual Regional Awards for Excellence and Elected Officials Luncheon hosted by the Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC). Our leaders have been utilizing the event to recognize our communities and people's creativity, diversity, and strength for the last 20 years.
“It is an honor to celebrate projects and initiatives that enhance the community, and often, these projects may otherwise go unrecognized in the Region. It was a pleasure to recognize the achievements of our regional leadership award winner, Representative Stevenson, during her tenure in Tallahassee and the Region. We take pleasure in sharing these achievements with the 120 people in attendance at today’s event,”
- Beth Payne, CEO of the Northeast Florida Regional Council.
2023 Regional Leadership Award Recipient
Representative Cyndi Stevenson
The prestigious Regional Leadership Award was presented to State Representative Cyndi Stevenson, recognizing her outstanding service to the region and commitment to regionalism.
This award recognizes the activities of an individual who has exhibited an unrelenting enthusiasm for regional coordination and cooperation. As a state representative for District 18, she has worked tirelessly to serve St. Johns County and Northeast Florida. She brings such a diverse and relevant experience to the table. In addition to her local and State government work, we are proud to mention that Cyndi served on the Northeast Florida Regional Council as Vice-President and the Florida Association of Counties. She has been involved with the local MPO/TPO, was the Chair of the St. Johns River Alliance, and is a graduate of Leadership St. Johns, the Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Academy, and Leadership Florida, among other significant accomplishments.
Currently, she chairs the Water Quality, Supply, and Treatment subcommittee and serves on the Infrastructure Strategies Committee and the Select Committee on Hurricane Resiliency and Recovery. As you can tell, Cyndi is dedicated to our State's and our region's resiliency.
2023 Regional Award of Excellence Recipients
Thank you to Holly Coyle - Economic Resource Coordinator, John Martin - Commissioner, and Gabriel Quintas - Assistant Planning Director.
The regional challenge of providing affordable housing and solutions requires creativity, dedication, and determination. Nassau County created the Tiny Home Development Program to allow mobile home and recreational vehicle parks to redevelop as affordable communities, to allow government lands to be developed, to allow for diversified housing options, and to incentivize the development of blighted areas with housing providing long-term affordability. Nassau County looked outside the box when it created the Tiny Home Development Program.
Thank you to Jaime D. Perkins - Project Manager, Nancy Sikes - Kline - Mayor, Roxanne Horvath - Vice Mayor, and Reuben Franklin - Assistant City Manager.
The Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Area created a Community Redevelopment Plan in 2017 designed to focus on preserving African American heritage and retaining long-term residents, preserving Lincolnville’s historic character, and conducting neighborhood improvements. The First Baptist Church Rehabilitation began in 2020, this was the inaugural institutional rehabilitation project. Even faced with the challenges of the pandemic, the structure was stabilized and painted, systems upgraded, the stained-glass windows were restored, and flood protection and an elevator were added. This work was coordinated with the City’s Historic Preservation Officer to ensure the integrity of this vital historic structure.
Thank you to Larry Harvey - BOCC Chairman, Terry Suggs - County Administrator, Julianne Young - Deputy County Administrator, J.R. Grimes - Deputy County Administrator, and Sam Sullivan - Grants, Projects, Legislative Affairs Coordinator and Port Manager.
Putnam County realized they had a potential economic asset in the barge port in Palatka. County staff worked with federal, state and local partners to obtain grants and determine the feasibility of dredging an access channel to the St. Johns River. Port Putnam was added by state legislature as a member of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council. Also, elected as a member of the Florida Ports Council and developed a port master plan. This will provide a foundation for infrastructure upgrades that can transform Port Putnam into an asset for local manufacturers, who can expand their current markets and reduce their import costs. This means good-paying jobs in the County, enhancing the local economy and providing an income boost for local entrepreneurs and retailers.
Thank you to Dr. Taylor Clem - UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County Director, Larry Figart - UF/IFAS Extension Baker County Director, and Alicia Lambirn - UF/IFAS Extension Baker County Director.
This award recognizes individuals, organizations, or specific projects with a primary focus on long-term protection, conservation, and enhancement of the region’s natural resources and leadership in promoting awareness. University of Florida Northeast Extension (including Baker, Duval, and Nassau counties) for the “Follow the Water” program. Water resources are threatened by increased urbanization and consumption. Extension agents realized that as an individual’s connection to water increases, they are more likely to adopt water conservation practices. Follow the Water, A 4-Day educational tour that “follows a drop of water from Southern Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico” to increase participants watershed knowledge and connectedness to water. Surveys indicate an increase in connectedness to water, resulting in changes to environment-related behaviors.
Thank you to Ryan Simpson - Flagler County EM Manager, Wally De Aquino - AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway President/CEO, Ryan Emery - Flager County Sheriff’s Office Commander, Percy Sayles - Flagler County Deputy Fire Chief.
This award recognizes a person or project that enhances the ability of our healthcare system to respond to an emergency. AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway Exercise from Flagler County was this year’s winner. A team from AdventHealth, Flagler County Fire and Rescue, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Palm coast Fire Department, Bunnell Police Department, and Flagler County Emergency Management designed and implemented a multi-agency full-scale exercise. This is an example of the public and private sectors coming together for the good of the community.
Thank you to Steve Kennedy - City Manager, Mike Daniels - Planning Director.
Congratulations to the City of Green Cove Springs Community Redevelopment Area. CRAs are a process that allow communities to identify areas that are or may become blighted, create a plan for them, and then lock in property values so that any increases in value in the area can be invested back. As Clay County and the City of Green Cove Springs grow and change in the near future, we celebrate their vision for a bright future for all residents.
Thank you to Mark Vanloh - JAA CEO, Tony Cugno - COO, Meaghan Smalley - Emergency Preparedness Manager.
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s Triennial Aviation Disaster Exercise is required for Jacksonville International Airport to maintain FAA certification. JAA went beyond merely the requirement to simulate an airline crash and disater. They partnered with the airlines, first responder agencies, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and JAXPAWS to respond to the intital recovery phase by creating a Family Assistance Center. Resources are assembled to help families navigate the disaster. They went the extra mile to practice the hardest part: human interaction and community outreach. Northeast Florida institutions went the extra mile because the safety of our residents and visitors is a top priority.
Thank you to Bradley Bean - Mayor, Mary Hamburg - Digital Communications Manager.
Minute with the Mayor is a Fernandina Beach public outreach initiative. It is a public information series by Mayor Bradley Bean and Digital Communications Specialist Mary Hamburg on what’s happening in Fernandina Beach. It provides the city residents with current news updates. The timeliness of information is its greatest strength. It provides an easy way for residents to hear directly from their Mayor.
Thank you to Anne Coglianese -Chief Resilience Officer.
This year’s award goes to the City of Jacksonville for its Resilient Jacksonville Plan. The plan provides a roadmap for the next 50 years on adapting to climate change, guiding new development, accommodating population growth, and dealing with shocks and stressors. It focuses on specific and implementable actions and prioritizing investments for systems, sites, and people. Also includes place-based strategies for each type of development in the city. This accomplishment is a win for the city and the region.
Thank you to Hamid Tabassian - Flagler County Assistant County Engineer, Amy Stoger - Flagler County Engineering Project Manager.
With a primary focus on improving the quality of transportation in the Region. This year’s winner is an innovative pedestrian bridge in flagler County. The bridge links the Lehigh trail, the Old Kings Road sidewalk, conservation lands In the Graham Swamp, and county-owned property known as Bulow Parcel D. Pedestrians and cyclists now have access to what was previously nearly inaccessible areas of nature with old-growth oaks and will have a safe way to cross a major, high speed, four-lane thoroughfare. The facility is ADA-compliant, so the entire community is served. This was a long-standing dream that has finally come to fruition.
