Mayors Share Best Practices

Ideas and advice improve ability to serve communities

by Sheryl S. Jackson, Florida League of Cities

The sports practice field at a park in the City of Crescent City has working lights now, but it wasn’t too long ago that parents used their car headlights to illuminate their children’s practices.

“For several years, parents have asked for the City to replace the broken lights in the park,” said Mayor Michele Myers. “Before I was elected Mayor, we received an estimate of approximately $190,000 to replace the six lights on the sports field, but it was not approved by the City Commission because it was too much for the budget.”

When she became Mayor, Myers wanted to take a second look at the issue. “I know how important recreational sports are for children, so I was determined to find a way to light the field.”

New lights at Crescent City park.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Nicole Sheppard

The solution came after asking Mayor Terrill Hill of the City of Palatka for ideas, she said. “Mayors in our county talk regularly to each other, and Mayor Hill offered to have the person who handles lighting for his parks take a look at our park,” said Myers. About two months later, Hill and the lighting vendor met to evaluate the lighting needs of the park. “The new estimate to replace the old poles with new concrete poles along with lights was $94,500, a savings of about $90,000.”

Working together to share best practices, advice and lessons learned is the primary goal of the Florida League of Mayors (FLM), said FLM President Mayor Scott Singer of the City of Boca Raton. “We’ve focused on helping Mayors improve communications among each other and with their communities,” he said. Training has included seminars that teach how to communicate to address a crisis, resolve conflict and get work done. “We’ve had more than 100 attendees, virtually and in-person, at our seminars.”

FLM meetings also address issues faced by all Mayors. The opioid crisis and how it affects cities in Florida was the topic of a June meeting, with a presentation provided by Project Opioid, a nonprofit organization that works with communities to increase awareness of and promote strategies to address addiction. “We wanted to support Project Opioid’s efforts and let Mayors know what resources exist to help them address the issue,” said Singer.

The emphasis on communication does not stop with formal training sessions. This year, the FLM launched a series of regional dinners and breakfasts to serve as informal get-togethers to discuss issues. Some of the events included a tour provided by the host City, said Singer. Monthly events that included virtual happy hours and “lunch and chats” also gave Mayors a chance to discuss best practices and share ideas.

April FLM regional dinner in Northeast Florida at the Mayport Naval Station, which was coordinated by Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser.

Photo courtesy of Mayor Ellen Glasser

“These informal conversations are important because there is only one Mayor in a city at a time, so it is valuable to talk to others who are facing the same challenges or have the same questions as we do,” said Singer. The ideas don’t have to be groundbreaking or produce the same cost-savings that the Crescent City Mayor experienced to be beneficial, he said.

At a recent regional meeting, Singer heard a suggestion on how to overcome roadblocks with Council Members who disagreed with a proposal. “What would it take for you to support this proposal?” is the question one of the other Mayors uses to find common ground and build consensus, said Singer. “Hearing about his success with this simple question led me to adopt it as I work with others,” he said.

To improve training and communications beyond the one-year term of current Mayors, FLM has opened registration for some webinars to Vice or Deputy Mayors, said Singer. “We also don’t require FLM membership for our informal get-togethers, and we allow members to bring a guest to events.” The goal is to provide the support and education that mayors need to be effective and serve their cities, he added. “We have a very engaged membership – as evidenced by our strong involvement leading up to and during the legislative session this year.”

Myers said, “FLM is beneficial to all Mayors because it gives us a sounding board for ideas. It’s nice to know that you’re not the only one facing these challenges and that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Just ask for advice.”

Sheryl S. Jackson is a Writer/Editor with the Florida League of Cities.