Palatka gains exposure after mayor’s presidency | Palatka Daily News, Palatka, Florida

From left, Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill, Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam gather at a Florida League of Mayors meeting.
Positively Putnam FL

Palatka Mayor Terrill Hill’s one-year term as president of the Florida League of Mayors concluded late last week, a position he said boosted exposure for the city.

The organization has board members from throughout the state. A year ago, Hill was virtually sworn in as president by Commissioner Justin Campbell at a Palatka City Commission meeting, with Hawthorne Mayor Matthew Surrency present. Surrency was president of the organization in 2018.

Hill said the leadership position is a chance for representation of smaller, rural towns.

“I think it was an awesome exposure for the city as a whole,” Hill said.

From a professional standpoint, Hill called the Florida League of Mayors a chance to collaborate with fellow mayors. He said the organization emphasizes city issues at the state level and gives mayors an opportunity to discuss issues facing every city.

“It’s a protective environment among colleagues,” Hill said.

Hill referenced Candid Conversations, a series of workshops where mayors outline issues in their cities. November’s Candid Conversations hosted talks about the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Hurricane Michael in Panama City and Confederate statue protests in St. Augustine with those city’s respective mayors.

“We talk about the environment, red-lining, justice and crisis management. The focus is, how do we, as mayors, deal with those situations?” Hill said. “For those conversations, the sentiment is that it’s important we continue to have those engagements and it’s critical to hear about the success of those mayors.”

Hill, whose last day as president was Aug. 12, passed the baton to Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and the new president-elect is Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam. In a statement, Messam said he was humbled by the honor.

“(Florida League of Mayors) has a unique voice and is positioned to ensure Floridians receive the necessary resources and legislative action for our communities,” Messam said. “I look forward to sharing the successes of Miramar while collaborating with President Scott Singer and the board of directors on pressing issues faced by municipalities across Florida.”

Singer added that Hill provided great leadership to the Florida League of Mayors during a challenging year.

"His series of discussions ... connected and informed mayors on a wide range of issues and helped them better serve their communities," Singer said. "He will be a tough act to follow as president of the FLM, but I am grateful for his continued support, work and friendship."