State Representative Paula Stark and State Senator Kristen Arrington told the Saint Cloud City Council on Aug. 14 that they secured state appropriations totaling $470,000 for local projects, including a stormwater initiative and a fire-rescue boat for the Saint Cloud Fire Department.

The funding announcement came during a presentation by the city’s legislative delegation and lobbyist, Chris Carmody of GrayRobinson. Representative Stark said the two legislators worked together to get three projects into the state budget; two made it through the entire appropriations process and were included in the final enacted budget. “Collectively, we managed to bring home $470,000 to projects, our stormwater project and the Saint Cloud Fire Boat Rescue,” Stark told the council.

Senator Arrington thanked the city for submitting “thoughtful projects” and credited the city’s delegation team and outside lobbyists for helping shepherd the requests. “We did manage to get two all the way across the finish line,” Arrington said, and pledged continued work to resubmit the Hopkins Park request after it was vetoed.

Lobbyist Chris Carmody described the legislative session that produced the funding as unusually long and fractious. He urged city leaders to remain engaged in Tallahassee and described how last-minute budgeting decisions and line-item vetoes left some projects — including Hopkins Park — unfunded despite earlier approval at the delegation level.

Why it matters: The stormwater and fire-rescue boat appropriations will provide dedicated state dollars for capital needs the city identified in its delegation briefing. Council members applauded the victories and were briefed that the Hopkins Park appropriation, while supported by delegation members, was vetoed and will need another push in the next session.

Council and staff next steps: City lobbyists and staff said they will assist the mayor and council with delegation meetings in October and prepare follow-up requests for vetoed items; Carmody recommended city representatives attend Tallahassee meetings to maintain momentum on local priorities.

Direct quotes from participants are drawn from council meeting remarks and have been attributed to speakers who appeared on the record at the Aug. 14 meeting.