Commissioner Latvala Honored with Award

The Florida Association of Counties has presented Pinellas County Commission Vice Chairman Kenneth T. Welch and Pinellas County Commissioner Susan Latvala with that organization’s Presidential Advocacy Award.

The awards ceremony took place during the 2012 FAC Annual Conference & Exposition in Orange County. The Presidential Advocacy Award is presented to county commissioners who show a commitment to protecting local control and advocating on behalf of home rule in Tallahassee.

Both Welch and Latvala were said to be invaluable assets to FAC and its mission to preserve and protect home rule.  Both commissioners took time to educate legislators on FAC’s priorities such as tax reform, Medicaid billing and ongoing efforts to reduce preemptions and stop unfunded mandates.

“Public servants like Commissioner Ken Welch and Commissioner Susan Latvala can ensure that our local communities have the authority to respond to the demands of their citizens,” said FAC Executive Director Chris Holley. “These commissioners fought for home rule – the idea that government closest to the people governs best – in Pinellas County and many other Florida communities.”

For 80 years, FAC has helped counties effectively serve and represent Floridians by strengthening and preserving county home rule through advocacy, education and collaboration.

For more information on the Board of County Commissioners, check the Pinellas County website at www.pinellascounty.org/commission.  

Thanks to Mary Burrell at Pinellas County Communications for passing this information along!