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Smith Receives The League’s Highest Award
Holly D. Smith , Councilmember for the City of Sanibel, was presented with the E. Harris Drew Municipal Official Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Florida League of Cities (FLC) Annual Conference. This award recognizes local elected officials who have made lasting and worthwhile contributions to the citizens of Florida through their efforts and dedication in performing their duties at the local level.
“If there is anyone who meets the requirements for the E. Harris Drew Award, it is Councilmember Holly Smith,” said Mike Miller, Vice Mayor of Sanibel.
Smith served the City as Mayor when Hurricane Ian made landfall in Sanibel on September 28, 2022. A storm surge of 8-15 feet washed over the entire City. Immediately following the storm, “Smith demonstrated calm and effective leadership in the face of extreme crisis,” Miller said.
The causeway connecting Sanibel’s island community to Lee County’s mainland was breached in five places. Boats were the only access to the island. As City staff worked to secure boat access, Smith spoke to Governor Ron DeSantis concerning the breach in the causeway and the catastrophic damage to residential and commercial property. Smith explained the dire conditions: Water, sewer and electric utilities were out of service, with nearly 100% of electric utility poles destroyed. Without electricity, the other utilities that were damaged and operating on limited generator power could not properly function. Smith explained the need to quickly establish ferry/barge services to the island and restore the causeway.
A plan was put in place to reconstruct the breached section of the causeway. On October 12, just 14 days after the hurricane made landfall, nearly 300 utility line trucks drove over the causeway after sufficient repairs were made to grant them access. On October 20, the causeway was opened to general traffic.
Smith has been highly effective in keeping Sanibel’s significant issues in front of key elected and appointed officials. During the 2023 Legislative Session, Smith made multiple trips to Tallahassee to advocate for Sanibel. Her efforts contributed to the following decisions:
▸ The State assuming the cost of debris removal, which Sanibel couldn’t afford (current costs over $100 million)
▸ The State providing $13.1 million to Sanibel for beach restoration
▸ The State providing $33 million in sewer and stormwater grants to the City
▸ The Governor approving $2.75 million in appropriation awards for restoration projects
▸ The defeat of a vacation rental bill (SB 714).
Smith was also the City Council’s lead voice in advocating for an earlier opening of the Sanibel Post Office with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds. Sanibel residents were required to drive a 40-mile round trip to pick up their mail at a U.S. Post Office facility. When the Postal Service announced that Sanibel wouldn’t have a temporary post office on Sanibel until August, Smith strongly advocated for an earlier date with Sanibel’s federal legislative delegation. With the strong support of Scott and Donalds, the Sanibel Post Office was opened in a temporary trailer in February.
The Lee County Recovery Task Force , Resilient Lee , was formed through the Lee County Board of Commissioners, and Smith serves as the City’s representative.
“At the front of these recovery successes was Smith,” Miller said. “While her effective work post Hurricane Ian has been exceptional, Councilmember Smith has been an effective leader on Sanibel for 15 years.”
Smith has served six years on the Sanibel City Council and, prior to her position on Council, nine years as an appointed member of the Planning Commission
Smith serves as a member of the FLC Legislative Committee and the FLC Municipal Administration Legislative Policy Committee. She has been appointed to the FLC Federal Action Strike Team (FAST). She also has served on the FLC Advocacy Committee, including one year as Chair. In 2023, Smith received the FLC Home Rule Hero Award for the sixth consecutive year.
She has been a part of the League FAST Fly-Ins and has traveled multiple times during the state legislative session to speak with legislators and before House and Senate committees. “I travel around the state, to our state capital in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., for local, regional, state and federal advocacy efforts that impact the quality of lives and livelihood on Sanibel, Southwest Florida and throughout Florida,” Smith said.
Smith served two terms on the Board of Directors for the Florida League of Mayors . She was a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
“I am extremely proud of my work with the Florida League of Cities and, when serving as Mayor, my involvement with the Florida League of Mayors,” Smith said. “My involvement with the League has been invaluable in building relationships and learning how to be an effective advocate for our City legislatively.”
She attended the Institute for Elected Municipal Officials (IEMO I and II). “The League has helped me be the best leader I can be,” Smith said. She also has been named FLC’s Second Vice President. (See story, p. 39.)
