THE COUNCIL WELCOMES A NEWLY ELECTED EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BOARD MEMBERS, AND SPECIAL GUESTS TO ITS FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW YEAR

HOLLYWOOD, FL – The South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) hosted their first meeting of the new year on Monday, January 24, 2022 in collaboration with charter member Miami-Dade County. The meeting was held both in-person at the Miami-Dade County Commission Chambers and virtually via Zoom.

Councilmembers welcomed special guests: the Honorable Daniella Levine-Cava, Mayor of Miami-Dade County; Kevin Guthrie, Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management; James F. Murley, Chief Resilience Officer; Pamela Sweeney, Chief Water Scientist presenting on behalf of Chief Bay Officer Irela Bague; and Jimmy Morales, Miami-Dade County Chief Operating Officer.

The Council thanked outgoing members and gave a warm welcome to newly appointed Councilmembers Mayor Pro Tem Craig Cates (Monroe County) and Commissioner Kionne McGhee (Miami-Dade County) whose short bios follow below.

The Honorable Craig Cates, Mayor Pro Tem Monroe County. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed Commissioner Craig Cates to the vacated Monroe County Commissioner District 1 seat and where he was then elected to the seat in November 2020. He served as Mayor for the City of Key West from 2009 until 2018. He was named “Mayor Emeritus” for his dedication to improving the quality of life for the citizens of the City of Key West. He was voted Key West’s best-elected official five years in a row and in 2014 was selected by Rural Leaders Magazine as one of Small Town Americas Top 100 Most Influential People. He is a fourth-generation resident of Key West.

The Honorable Kionne L. McGhee, Miami-Dade County Commissioner. Councilmember McGhee grew up in South Dade public housing and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2012 for Florida House District 117 and served as the Minority Leader from 2018 to 2020, when he was elected as Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 9. He is an accomplished attorney and the author of the bestselling-book “Conquering Hope: The Life You Were Destined to Live.”

The Council welcomes the return of former Chair Broward County Commissioner and Senator Steve Geller as the newly elected Chair for 2022; Key West Commissioner Samuel Kaufman as First Vice Chair; Broward County Commissioner Quentin “Beam” Furr as Second Vice Chair; Miami-Dade County Commissioner René Garcia as Treasurer; Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Coldiron as Secretary; and former 2021 Chair Mario J. Bailey to serve as Immediate Past Chair.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]