The City Commission heard two environmental recognitions on May 22: Beth Reynolds, an interpretive ranger at Honeymoon Island State Park, received the 2025 Dunedin Environmental Hero Award, and the city's Resiliency and Sustainability Rebate Program earned the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's MacIntosh Award.

Natalie Gass, the city's sustainability program manager, and David Graves, committee chair, presented the Environmental Hero Award on behalf of the Committee on Environmental Quality and Sustainability. The committee selected Beth Reynolds for her work rescuing and educating about injured wildlife, launching a "FreePlay" initiative to collect and reuse abandoned beach toys, and leading restoration work after the 2024 hurricane season.

"Her voice, whether on the beach, in classrooms, at community events, or through social media, reaches thousands," the committee said when presenting the award.

Separately, commissioners also recognized that the city's Dunedin Resiliency and Sustainability Rebate Program won the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council's top Macintosh award at the council's annual Future of the Region Awards. The program provides rebates for homeowners and businesses who harden structures for hurricanes and invest in sustainability measures.

Natalie Gass accepted the award and credited a cross-departmental city effort: "This is a really great program that allows residents, homeowners and business owners to be able to come forward and be incentivized to harden their home for hurricanes and make their homes more sustainable," she said, and thanked staff across departments who helped implement and process rebates.

Commissioners lauded both the volunteers and staff work as examples of community resilience and stewardship. No formal action was required; both items were ceremonial and informational.