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QC Today
League and member news
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Miramar Named All-America City
The City of Miramar was one of the 10 recipients of the National Civic League’s 2021 All-America City Award. The award was given to Miramar for the City’s work “cultivating a resilient and equitable economy, increasing access to arts and culture and revitalizing a historic part of its community.”
“We are so honored to be recognized as a 2021 All-America City,” said Mayor Wayne Messam. “Our residents, strong economy and our diverse culture make our city a desirable place to live, work, visit and play. This honor is truly amazing.”
Visit nationalcivicleague.org/2021-winners to read about the recipients. Visit bit.ly/3iMirVi to apply for the 2022 All-America City Awards, with the theme “Housing as a platform for equitable learning recovery” in collaboration with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading.
Poetry Made Concrete In Clearwater
The City of Clearwater is transforming sidewalks into works of art by etching poems written by residents into sidewalks.
The poems were written by the 2020 winners of Clearwater’s Poetry Made Concrete contest, which aimed to inspire the City’s residents to reimagine, strengthen and beautify their communities through public art. This project also builds upon the city’s commitment to repairing sidewalks.
One of Clearwater’s winning sidewalk poems, “Only Love.”
Photo courtesy of City of Clearwater
Homestead Opens Cybrarium
Earlier this year, the City of Homestead opened the world’s first Cybrarium, a high-tech library that combines traditional library services with advanced technology and innovative programming.
The Cybrarium offers virtual reality, 3D printing, a children’s theater, a new library book collection and more. As part of the City’s overall vision to revitalize downtown Homestead, city officials hope that the Cybrarium will bridge the gap between literacy, technology and access. The project was funded by grants, impact fees and the City’s general fund revenues.
The first floor of Homestead’s Cybrarium.
Photo courtesy of City of Homestead
DID YOU KNOW…Many Cartoonists Are Tied to Florida?
Talented cartoonists entertain us, make us laugh, stimulate our imagination and tell stories that make us think. Over the years, Walt Disney’s animation studio in Orlando attracted cartoonists, many of whom continued to live in Florida after leaving Disney or other animation studios. Other cartoonists who have lived or worked in Florida have created children’s books, comic strips and, of course, animated films.
A few of the well-known cartoonists who have lived or worked in Florida and the works for which they are known include:
‣ Nathan Archer, editorial cartoonist for Tallahassee Democrat and USA Today
‣ Tom Armstrong, “Marvin”
‣ Chad Carpenter, “Tundra”
‣ Carlos Castellanos, “Baldo”
‣ Jose Delbo, “Transformers” and “Punisher”
‣ John Hurst, “Ice Age” and “The Peanuts Movie”
‣ Ethan Long, illustrator of more than 80 children’s books
‣ Mason Mastroianni, “B.C.” and “Wizard of Id”
‣ Jeff Parker, “Dustin”
‣ Mike Peters, “Mother Goose and Grimm”
‣ Eddie Pittman, Disney animation artist
‣ John Rose, “Snuffy Smith”
‣ Alex Saviuk, “Spider-Man” and “Phantom”
‣ Mark Simon, “Woody Woodpecker” and “Little Rascals”
‣ Ralph Smith, “Through Thick and Thin”
‣ Mike Wright, editorial cartoonist
‣ Dean Young, “Blondie.”
Graphic courtesy of Nathan Archer
In a 2016 interview, Simon offered a quick explanation for why Florida is home to many cartoonists. “They were here for Disney Studios and wanted to stay,” he said. “I came for Nickelodeon [in 1989]. I left to work for [Steven] Spielberg on ‘seaQuest.’ My wife and I decided to stay. … We love it here. It’s easier and cheaper to live here than L.A. or New York.”
Other cartoonists, such as Parker, grew up in Florida. He has talked about living on the Space Coast and reading his favorite comics in the newspaper while dreaming of having his own strip. The Tallahassee resident is co-creator of “Dustin,” which debuted in 2010 and has continued to grow in popularity.
Meeting Calendar
AUGUST 11 | Florida Center for Municipal Research Symposium | Orlando World Center Marriott | Contact Wade Burkley
AUGUST 11 | Florida League of Mayors Candid Conversations with Mayors | Orlando World Center Marriott | Contact Rachel Embleton
AUGUST 12-14 | Florida League of Cities Annual Conference | Orlando World Center Marriott | Contact Melanie Howe
OCTOBER 8-10 | Institute for Elected Municipal Officials Days Hotel by Wyndham Celebration, Kissimmee | Contact Angela Delune
OCTOBER 17-21 | Florida Association of City Clerks Fall Academy | The Shores Hotel, Daytona Beach Shores | Contact Rachel Embleton
OCTOBER 17-22 | Florida Government Finance Officers Association School of Governmental Finance | Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort | Contact Karen Pastula
OCTOBER 27-29 | Florida Redevelopment Association Annual Conference | Luminary Hotel & Co., Fort Myers | Contact Heidi Hogarth
NOVEMBER 3-5 | Florida League of Cities Legislative Conference Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando | Lake Buena Vista South, Kissimmee | Contact Mary Edenfield
NOVEMBER 18-19 | Florida Municipal Communicators Association Annual Conference | Luminary Hotel & Co., Fort Myers | Contact Selina Smith
FEBRUARY 8-9, 2022 | Florida League of Cities Legislative Action Days | Tallahassee | Contact Mary Edenfield
Go to flcities.com/education-and-events/calendar-of-events or call 850.222.9684 for more information.
Cities Support Local Heroes
The City of Jacksonville recognized the accomplishments of female veterans through Women Veterans Recognition Week for the eighth year. The week brings community awareness to some of the challenges female veterans face after military service. The City of Lake Alfred held the United Nations 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong/Gapyeong ceremony earlier this year to remember and honor the City’s Korean War Veterans.
The City of Melbourne displayed banners downtown from May through July Fourth to honor Melbourne residents or their immediate family members who are actively serving in the U.S. armed forces, are veterans or were killed in the line of duty. The Melbourne Salutes Hometown Heroes program, modeled after the City of Deland’s program, was available to residents free of charge through donations from local companies.
Read how other cities assist local heroes and their families in the second quarter issue of Quality Cities magazine at bit.ly/35rhrlb.
Korean War Veterans with Lake Alfred Mayor Nancy Daley and Lake Wales Mayor Eugene Fultz (top right).
Photo courtesy of City of Lake Alfred
Four Florida Beach Towns Rank in Top 10
The Cities of Boca Raton, Destin, Naples, and Sarasota ranked in the top 10 best U.S. ocean beach towns to live in by WalletHub.
The 2021 rankings compared 191 cities across 62 key livability indicators, including affordability, weather, safety and economy. Naples took the top spot at No. 1 with Sarasota at No. 6, Boca Raton at No. 8 and Destin at No. 9.
Sopchoppy’s Depot Park Recognized for Excellence
The City of Sopchoppy’s Depot Park received the 2021 Excellence Award for Institutional Landscapes from the Florida Native Plant Society. The award recognizes highquality native plant landscape in an institutional setting such as a public site, government entity, church or school.
Read how the park served as a launching point for the City’s downtown plan in the Sopchoppy city spotlight of the March/ April 2019 issue of Quality Cities magazine at bit.ly/3uNX2Bh.
Tallahassee, Tampa Earn Gold–Level LEED Certification
The Cities of Tallahassee and Tampa have achieved gold-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for their sustainability efforts. The USGBC’s LEED for Cities and Communities is an international rating system that provides a framework for communities to benchmark their sustainability and resilience performance, increase transparency and focus on outcomes associated with these efforts. Florida has the most registered local governments in the country that have received LEED certification. To see the full list, visit bit.ly/3cZXUMW.
Top 15 for Small Businesses
Eleven cities and towns in Florida ranked in the nation’s top 15 best small cities for small businesses in a recent report from Go.Verizon. Data was collected from nearly 300 cities across the country that highlighted factors including population size, education, commute, financial and tax climate, income per capita and business loans.
The cities and their rankings were:
‣ City of Doral (3)
‣ City of Daytona Beach (4)
‣ City of Delray Beach (5)
‣ City of Weston (6)
‣ City of Lauderhill (7)
‣ City of North Port (8)
‣ Town of Jupiter (10)
‣ Village of Wellington (11)
‣ City of Kissimmee (12)
‣ City of Tamarac (13)
‣ City of Homestead (14).
NLC Releases Resource on Emergency Rental Assistance
In partnership with the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the National League of Cities created new guidance for local governments to quickly improve landlords’ access to Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Program funds. This resource offers quick tips and clear, actional guidance for elected officials, including six do’s and don’ts for local ERA programs:
DO'S:
‣ Do center racial equity in the design and implementation of ERA programs.
‣ Do prioritize households with the greatest needs.
‣ Do coordinate with housing agencies to make resources available to federally assisted households.
‣ Do partner with trusted community-based organizations.
‣ Do engage landlords.
‣ Do hold grantees accountable to racial equity performance metrics.
DON'TS:
‣ Don’t impose unnecessary and burdensome requirements.
‣ Don’t neglect the need for targeted outreach to marginalized populations.
‣ Don’t restrict ERA to non-subsidized renters or bar renters living in subsidized housing from the ERA program.
‣ Don’t lose time setting up a “perfect” program.
‣ Don’t penalize tenants if their landlords refuse to participate.
‣ Don’t be afraid to change aspects of the program design if it’s not working as intended.
The full report, “How to Establish and Improve Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: Suggestions for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Elected Officials,” is available at bit.ly/3vLeXtb.
Gainesville Builds Community At Downtown Event
The City of Gainesville, Madres Sin Fronteras and local advocacy organizations hosted a Day of the Immigrant event to celebrate diversity and build community among neighbors of all backgrounds and ethnicities.
The fellowship celebration, which took place downtown, included food trucks, music, information tables and COVID-19 vaccinations. Creating an equitable and inclusive community for all neighbors is a cornerstone of the City’s strategic plan.
Gainesville residents celebrate diversity at the Day of the Immigrant event downtown.
Photo courtesy of City of Gainesville
City Farm TLH Completes First Program
The City of Tallahassee recently celebrated the first commencement of the City Farm TLH Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship Training Program. This 12-week program provides participants with the knowledge to launch a small farm in an urban setting.
The City began development on the farm on vacant, unused city-owned land with a Knight Foundation grant. The farm is a partnership between Tallahassee Community College’s Wakulla Environmental Institute, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s Small Business Development Center, Compost Community and Toad Lily Farm.
Eleven participants completed the City Farm TLH Urban Farming and Entrepreneurship Training Program and celebrated with the program’s first commencement.
Photo courtesy of City of Tallahassee
City Showcases Recycled Artwork
The City of Port St. Lucie held the first Green Art Showcase, an environmentally conscious exhibit with pieces made from recycled materials from local artists of all ages. The free exhibit ran at the Community Center and brought awareness to the environment through art.
The City of Port St. Lucie’s Green Art Showcase, an environmentally conscious exhibit made from recycled materials.
Photo courtesy of City of Port St. Lucie
Mural Panels Depict Ocala’s Multicultural History
The City of Ocala has installed four mural panels at Scott Springs Park to depict the multicultural history of its community.
The Legacy Panels were commissioned through the City’s Cultural Arts and Sciences Division and created by local artists. The double-sided panels show two scenes depending on where guests stand in the park. One side depicts the Cuban culture that thrived in the 1890s, while the opposite side showcases the city’s Black and Black Seminole history. Both panels were inspired by local historical photographs.
Panels from the legacy mural "A Journey Through Marti City" by local artist Maggie Weakley
Photo courtesy of City of Ocala
Clermont Introduces New Park Event
The City of Clermont and the Clermont Police Department hosted the City’s first Pups in the Park event this year with the help of local business sponsors.
The event included a 1-mile dog walk, a dog swimsuit parade and competition and a frisbee competition, along with various vendors and food trucks. Citizens stopped by for a “puppuccino” with Clermont police officers, a new twist to Coffee with a Cop.
Clermont Police Chief Charles Broadway (right) and Officer Philip Pollen give “puppuccinos” to Interim City Manager Susan Dauderis’ dogs.
Photo courtesy of City of Clermont
Obituaries
Former Indian River Shores Mayor Tom Slater
Former Indian River Shores Mayor Tom Slater died May 26 at age 76. Slater served on the Town Council from 2013 to 2016. He returned to public service in 2018 when he filled a vacant position on the Town Council and then served as Mayor from 2018 to 2020. Slater represented the Town on the Treasure Coast Regional League of Cities. In a released statement, the Town said, “Mayor Slater was well regarded by his colleagues and the citizens of not only the Town of Indian River Shores but of Indian River County. His positive, upbeat demeanor and friendly nature will be dearly missed by all.”
Tom Slater
Former Dania Beach Mayor Patricia Flurry
Former Dania Beach Mayor Patricia Flurry died April 2 at age 84. Flurry served on the City Commission from 2002 to 2012, including three terms as Mayor from 2001 to 2002, 2006 to 2007 and 2011 to 2012. Prior to serving on the Commission, she worked at Memorial Regional Hospital for more than 40 years. She also served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Memorial Healthcare System. During her time as Mayor, Flurry helped steer the City to financial stability. “Pat will be remembered as a strong leader and avid advocate for employees and for being heavily involved in the community,” the City said in a released statement.
Patricia Flurry
