The Florida League of Cities (FLC), the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments, recently recognized Royal Palm Beach Councilman Jeff Hmara with a 2023 Home Rule Hero Award for his hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2023 Legislative Session.
Hmara worked tirelessly throughout the session to promote local voices making local choices, protect the Home Rule powers of Florida’s municipalities and advance the league’s legislative agenda. The presentation of this award was made at the general membership meeting at the Riviera Beach Marina on Wednesday, June 28.
“The league and its legislative team appreciate the individual advocacy efforts undertaken by municipal officials throughout the state,” FLC Chief of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook said. “Home Rule Heroes are some of our biggest advocates for protecting local decision-making. They are league members who stand out for their high level of participation, knowledge and effectiveness. This year’s Home Rule Heroes continuously advocated for their communities throughout the 2023 Legislative Session.”
Home Rule is the ability for a city to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference. Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both elected and non-elected, who consistently responded to the league’s request to reach out to members of the legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue.
“Local government has the best understanding of local challenges and opportunities because of its proximity to the issues,” Hmara said. “It’s our responsibility to educate policymakers about the ‘ground zero’ impacts of state level decisions. It’s up to us to influence their decisions to ensure the best outcomes for those we represent.”
Hmara has served as chair of the FLC Transportation and Intergovernmental Relations Legislative Policy Committee this year. He has been president of Palm Beach County League of Cities, chair of Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council, is a member (alternate) of the Palm Beach County Transportation Planning Agency. He continues to serve as a proactive member of the Royal Palm Beach Village Council, always striving to educate residents and encouraging citizen involvement.
