Dunedin Receives 2008 Florida City of Excellence Award
DUNEDIN – The Florida League of Cities announced the City of Dunedin as the winner of its Florida City of Excellence Award, one of 10 categories in the Florida Cities of Excellence Awards Program. Dunedin was presented with the award Friday at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel in Orlando. The Florida Cities of Excellence Awards Program honors municipal leaders and municipalities throughout the state for devoted commitment to public service and their ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life in their cities. Centrally located on the west coast of Florida, Dunedin is a City of approximately 37,000, yet retains its small town charm. In May 2008, Dr. Beach (Stephen P. Leatherman) chose Dunedin’s Caladesi Island State Park as the Number One Beach in the country in his “America’s Best Beaches” series. CNN MONEY Magazine recently chose the area as part of their “Best Places to Retire,” and the city also picked up accolades as a top place in the country for walkers by www.runtheplanet.com. “Dunedin is to be commended for being recognized as the Florida City of Excellence – one of the highest awards that a Florida city can attain,” said Dr. Carmine Priore, president of a the Florida League of Cities and vice mayor of Wellington. “Florida cities are a wonderful place to live, as can be evidenced by Dunedin.” The Florida City of Excellence Award recognizes overall excellence in a city government. Supportive materials submitted for nominees in the Florida City of Excellence Award category had to describe how the nominated city excelled in governance/administration, city leadership, citizen outreach and involvement, technology, innovative programs and services, and fiscal management. Nominations for Florida City of Excellence must be made by a majority vote of the nominated city’s council/commission. Other winning categories included: City Spirit Award, Council Member of the Year, City Citizen of the Year, City Clerk of the Year, City Attorney of the Year, City Finance Official of the Year, Mayor of the Year, City Employee of the Year, and City Manager of the Year. All winners received a “Muni” award and will be featured in the League’s award-winning publication, Quality Cities. “Being named as this year’s Florida City of Excellence by the League is a great honor and is a tribute to the commitment our city has made over the years to building a truly great community,” said Dunedin Mayor Bob Hackworth. Each and every city employee, citizen volunteer, and leader in our community plays an important role in that ongoing effort.”
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