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FEATURE LEAGUE
FLC Ambassadors A Year in Review Two staff members reflect on their first year PHOTO COURTESY OF ERYN RUSSELL
by Shwanda Barnette and Eryn Russell Florida League of Cities Editor’s note: The Florida League of Cities (FLC) launched the Ambassador Program in 2010 to provide each city with a dedicated League staff member to serve as a city’s personal connection to the League. At the end of 2020, the League announced its newest ambassadors, Shwanda Barnette and Eryn Russell. The FLC Ambassadors have spent the last year connecting with members through city visits and special presentations, in person and virtually. Below, both reflect on their 2021 experiences during their first year as Ambassadors.
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eing named the new FLC Ambassadors at the end of 2020 was exciting and daunting because one of our first thoughts was, “How can we connect with our members during a pandemic?” Luckily, we have a great group of cities in Florida that adapted to meet virtually until it was safer to meet in person again. These moments are just a few of the several wonderful opportunities our cities provided during our travels. We look forward to visiting many more municipalities in the future! ERYN: CENTRAL WEST AND NORTH FLORIDA
One of my favorite tasks as Ambassador is recognizing and awarding cities for their achievements through our FLC Awards program. In July, I visited the City of Atlantic Beach to present its Youth Council with the Youth Council Community Service Contest Award. Before the presentation, Mayor Ellen Glasser invited me to eat pizza with the students. It gave me the opportunity to listen to the students speak about future projects they envisioned for their hometown. It was such an inspiration to hear their passion for their City. I look forward to seeing everything the Youth Council will accomplish. In October, I had the opportunity to visit the City of Tavares. Councilmember Troy Singer and Director of Economic Development Bob Tweedie graciously provided me with a tour of the City’s downtown area. City Hall is a short walk from Lake Dora, which allows residents and visitors to fly in on seaplanes. Over time, Tavares earned the nickname “America’s Seaplane City.” The tour allowed me to see that the City has truly embraced this name and has grown due to its seaplane opportunities for residents and visitors, among other reasons. In November, while traveling in Levy County, I visited the Town of Otter Creek and met with Town Clerk Mary DeGroot.
28 QUALITY CITIES | SECOND QUARTER 2022
The people I met in Otter Creek, a Town of slightly more than 100 residents, shared stories about the Town’s history, residents and character. I was touched by the heart that DeGroot and the Town’s elected officials put into making the Town a great place for their residents to live. I look forward to continuing to serve our membership. Every city, town and village in Florida is unique, and I count myself lucky to work for an organization that serves them all. Councilmember Troy Singer provided Eryn Russell with a tour of downtown Tavares.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB TWEEDIE
League Ambassadors Shwanda Barnette and Eryn Russell at the City of Clermont to present the Youth Council with a 2021 Community Service Contest trophy.
