Flagler Honored With Three Achievement Awards

The National Association of Counties recently honored Flagler County with achievement awards in three categories, Civic Education & Public Information; Libraries; and Parks and Recreation, according to a media release.

“This recognition is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit of Flagler County’s elected officials and staff,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito, in the release. “We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment and remain committed to continuing our efforts towards excellence and improvement, Putting Flagler F.I.R.S.T. … making a difference!”

Flagler County was awarded for the following projects or initiatives: Transparency Dashboards in the category of Civic Education & Public Information; Food for Thought kiosks in the Libraries category; and Flagler Greenways Pedestrian Bridge in the Parks and Recreation category.

According to the release, this is the fifth award the county has received for the Flagler Greenways Pedestrian Bridge. Other honors include: “Project of the Year” in the Roads & Highways category by the American Public Works Association Florida Chapter; “National Recognition Award” from American Council of Engineering Companies in the 2024 Engineering Excellence Awards competition; American Council of Engineering Companies Florida Engineering Excellence Awards top tier “Grand Award; and “Regional Awards for Excellence” in the category of Transportation presented by the Northeast Florida Regional Council.

“This is absolutely incredible,” said Engineering Department Project Manager Amy Stroger, in the release. “Every project is important, and excellence is always our (Flagler County Engineering Department’s) goal. We are humbled and honored by this recognition.”

The Flagler Greenways Pedestrian Bridge was designed shortly after the March 2018 collapse of the Florida International University pedestrian bridge in Miami, resulting in many rigorous reviews by Florida Department of Transportation Central Office Structures Design Group. Design focused on materials and detailing with minimal to no service life maintenance costs. The bridge and its associated shared use trails and sidewalks were completed in July 2023, the release states.

The Transparency Dashboards were unveiled in May 2023 to provide accurate information in real time to the community. This innovative tool provides viewers with the opportunity to explore data sets of keen interest in a visual and easy-to-understand format, according to the release.

“Collaboration and teamwork get things done,” Petito said in the release. “I’m proud of the work of all our staff.”