New Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem Selected for Monroe County

MONROE COUNTY, FL – At Wednesday’s Board of County Commissioner’s meeting, the board chose Mayor Pro Tem David Rice to serve as Monroe County Mayor and Commissioner Craig Cates to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the next year. Mayor Rice is in his fourth term as commissioner, and Mayor Pro Tem Cates is in his first term.

Mayor Rice, Mayor Pro Tem Cates, and Commissioners Eddie Martinez and Holly Raschein recognized Commissioner Michelle Coldiron for her 2021 mayoral duties and dedication to Monroe County for the past year.

The mayor title is given to the chairperson of the Board of County Commissioners. The commissioners choose the designee based on a majority vote, usually at the November board meeting. A mayor pro tem is also designated to fill in when the mayor is unavailable. The mayor presides over the Board of County Commissioners’ meetings and serves as the Monroe County representative at ceremonial occasions. The mayor is also responsible for signing and cosigning documents with the County Clerk.