Mayor JohnPaul O'Connor Honored with 2025 Home Rule Hero Award
Mayor O'Connor Honored with 2025 Home Rule Hero Award
Westlake official recognized for advocacy efforts during the 2025 Legislative Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2025
CONTACT: Zoie Burgess, CMC - City Clerk
info@westlakegov.com / 561-530-5880
City of Westlake, FL – The Florida League of Cities (FLC), the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments, recently recognized Westlake Mayor JohnPaul O'Connor with a 2025 Home Rule Hero Award for his hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2025 Legislative Session. O'Connor worked tirelessly throughout session to promote local voices making local choices by sharing insights, local data, and real-world examples that helped inform state lawmakers and elevate the voice of Florida’s cities.
“This session, local leaders stepped up once again, bringing persistence, perspective, and a strong voice for local decision-making to every conversation,” said FLC Chief of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. “The League and our legislative team deeply appreciate their leadership and are proud to recognize the meaningful difference they made for Florida’s cities.”
Home Rule is the ability for a city to address local problems with local solutions with minimal state interference. Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both elected and nonelected, who consistently responded to the League’s request to reach out to members of the Legislature and help give a local perspective on an issue.
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Founded in 1922, the Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida’s cities, which are formed and governed by their citizens. The League believes in “Local Voices Making Local Choices,” which focuses on the impact citizens and city leaders have in improving Florida’s communities. For more information, visit flcities.com.
