Press Release
December 18, 2020
The Northeast Florida Regional Council (NEFRC) announced the winners of the 2020 Northeast Florida Regional Leadership Awards this week. In light of the current pandemic, award winners will be recognized in their individual counties rather than at a central event. The NEFRC awards these honors each year to recognize the best projects and the brightest leaders in the Region.
The Regional Awards recognition program is anchored by the Regional Leadership Award, given to a leader who exemplifies service to community and commitment to regionalism. This year’s recipient of the Northeast Florida Regional Council Regional Leadership Award is recently retired Florida Times Union Editorial Page Editor Mike Clark. Mr. Clark has worked tirelessly to give unbiased views on the top issues affecting our region.
Other award winners include St. Johns County’s Workforce Housing Zoning Designation in the Affordable Housing category; Azalea City Brewing located in the City of Palatka in the Adaptive Reuse category; the Baker County Chamber of Commerce in the Economic Development category; the First Coast Disaster Council’s response to COVID-19 in the Healthcare/Emergency Preparedness category, the Nassau County Conservation Land Acquisition and Management Program in the Environmental Stewardship category, the Western Nassau Heritage Preservation Vision Book in the Planning and Growth Management category; the City of Jacksonville’s Project Save Lives in the Public Safety category, the Floodplain and Stormwater Management Program in Palm Coast in the Resilience category, and the TPO’s Path Forward 2045 in the Transportation category, the Long Term Recovery Organization in the Quality of Life category.
“We look forward each year to honoring those in our region who standout in their efforts to improve the quality of life of citizens in Northeast Florida,” said Beth Payne, CEO of the Northeast Florida Regional Council. “This year’s winners are examples of the outstanding work that is ongoing in the Region. It is our honor to celebrate their accomplishments during such a challenging year.”
The NEFRC is an independent, regional government agency serving Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam, Nassau and St. Johns counties. It provides a regional perspective toward growth management, economic development, emergency preparedness, resiliency, and community development to enhance the quality of life of Northeast Florida residents. For more information about the Northeast Florida Regional Council, visit www.nefrc.org.
Congratulations to the county Planning Dept. staff, the county manager and North Florida Land Trust for their efforts on the CLAM (Conservation Land Acquisition and Management) program. The next step is to get the County Commissioners to approve the CLAM.