Pasco County Commissioners Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano each have a Presidential Advocate award from the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) for their work during the 2020 legislative session.
The commissioners were recognized during the association of counties’ annual business meeting, which was conducted virtually, according to a news release.
“As a local government official, I believe the effectiveness of FAC cannot be overstated,” Starkey said, in the release. “The organization does a great job at uniting local voices from across the state in Tallahassee, and I am honored to have contributed to this advocacy.”
“It’s an honor to be recognized as a leader amongst my peers,” Commissioner Jack Mariano, said in a release.
The award the elected Pasco officials received is bestowed to county commissioners who have shown exceptional leadership in advocating with FAC during the 2020 session to advance the counties’ legislative agenda.
“It’s our duty as commissioners to stand up for our community, to fight to preserve the unique aspects of where we live, work, and play,” said FAC Immediate Past President and Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox. “This responsibility is only heightened during the Legislative Session where hundreds of bills are heard that directly impact that quality of life.”
Mariano has been designated as an Advanced Certified County Commissioner by the Florida Association of Counties and a Certified County Commissioner by the same group.
He will serve as a policy leader on the Florida Association of Counties Water & Environmental Sustainability Policy Committee for the upcoming 2020-2021 Fiscal Year, the release says.
Starkey has been active in FAC since being elected to District 3 of the Pasco County Commission in 2012. She chairs the FAC Federal Policy Committee and is the District 20 Representative to the FAC Board of Directors.
She also helped lead FAC’s fall 2019 “Federal Fly-in,” which created channels of communication between local officials and federal policymakers in Washington D.C., to discuss national issues, such as flood insurance.
Published July 08, 2020
