FLC Ambassadors – A Year in Review

Two staff members reflect on their first year

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.

Being 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 YouthCouncil 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. 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

SHWANDA: CENTRAL EAST AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA

Since becoming an Ambassador, I have had the privilege of seeing many of our beautiful Florida cities up close. I’ve learned so much about what makes each municipality unique. I now have a richer understanding of the concept that no two Florida municipalities are the same. My experience as an FLC Ambassador has reinforced the importance of local decisionmaking as I witness the unique needs and functions of each city, town and village I visit.

In June, I traveled to the Village of Pinecrest to present the Youth Council Community Service Contest Award. I was met at Village Hall by Councilmember Katie Abbott, who surprised me with delicious pastries prepared at a local bakery and took me on a first-class tour of the beautiful village. As a longtime resident, Abbott shared historical knowledge and rich details about what makes the Village a great place to live as it has evolved over the years.

Following the tour, I had dinner with the Village Council. I then met the members of their Youth Council to award the trophy for their amazing community service project. I received an insider’s view of what makes Pinecrest such a wonderful place to live, a view that I might not have experienced any other way.

Shwanda Barnette presents the Pinecrest Youth Council members with their trophy.

Photo courtesy of Village of Pinecrest

Later that summer, I traveled to the City of Boca Raton to present the City Council with the Municipal Achievement Award for Florida City Spirit. The Municipal Achievement Awards are the highest honors we give to Florida cities. Boca Raton was more than deserving for how its leaders worked quickly to bring their residents together safely at the start of the pandemic through the Public Library Story Walk Program. Amid the July surge in coronavirus cases, the Council implemented several safety measures to keep all meeting attendees safe.

After my presentation, I stayed for the remainder of the meeting to learn more about Boca Raton. I was impressed with the many ways the City has come together to keep residents engaged since spring 2020. The City’s use of technology to move in-person programs to a virtual format was innovative and inspiring.

In November, I visited the City of Altamonte Springs and the City of Lake Mary to award their Mayors with the John Land Years of Service Award in honor of 25 years of service to their respective cities. When Altamonte Springs Mayor Patricia J. Bates and Lake Mary Mayor David J. Mealor gave their brief acceptance remarks, each noted the noble public service of Mayor John Land, who had been Mayor of Apopka for 60 years. Bates and Mealor gave personal reflections of the meaningful experiences they had working with and learning from him.

My experiences as an Ambassador deepened my understanding of what it means to a community when “local voices make local choices,” and they have given me the context to appreciate our fight to protect Home Rule.

These visits brought the award to life for me. I better understand the importance of recognizing the wisdom that comes with years of public service and what a labor of love it is to be a local government official.

Shwanda Barnette and Eryn Russell are Ambassadors with the Florida League of Cities. Shwanda works in the Orlando office and can be reached at sbarnette@flcities.com or 407.917.2625. Eryn works in the Tallahassee office and can be reached at erussell@flcities.com or 850.443.2020.

League Ambassadors Shwanda Barnette and Eryn Russell at the City of Clermont to present the Youth Council with a 2021 Community Service Contest trophy.

Photo courtesy of Eryn Russell

Take Advantage of FLC's Ambassador Program

The Ambassadors are your city's direct connection to the Florida League of Cities (FLC). If you need assistance from the League but are unsure of where to start, contact your Ambassador:

▸ Central West and North Florida: Eryn Russell, FLC Tallahassee office. 850.701.3616. erussell@flcities.com.

▸ Central East and Southern Florida: Shwanda Barnette, FLC Orlando office. 407.367.4024. sbarnette@flcities.com.

The Ambassadors can answer questions about membership benefits, provide your city with League resources and connect you with an FLC staff member to provide more in-depth information about your inquiry.

Ambassadors also celebrate successes with your city by presenting FLC awards, such as the Florida Municipal Achievement Awards, John Land Years of Service Awards and Youth Council contest awards.

ERYN RUSSELL'S COUNTIES COVERED:

Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, Washington

SHWANDA BARNETTE'S COUNTIES COVERED:

Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Volusia