Coconut Creek reviews 2025 federal and state legislative agendas, discusses pending appropriations and grant priorities

Coconut Creek commissioners met in workshop session Jan. 9 to review the city’s proposed 2025 federal and state legislative agendas and to hear from federal and state staff, lobbyists and elected officials about funding opportunities and policy risks.

The meeting, led by Bernadette Hughes, the city’s general government affairs manager, focused on pending federal appropriations, grant strategies and state-level bills that could affect municipal authority and housing costs. Hughes told the commission the binders before them incorporated staff and lobbyist input and that items highlighted in yellow were recent additions. “We’re so fortunate to have amazing relationships with everyone on the dais because we all work together to further the city’s interests,” Hughes said.

Why it matters: several of the city’s top funding priorities are contingent on federal and state appropriations processes under way this winter. Commission review will inform the final agenda the city plans to return to the commission for formal approval on Jan. 23.

Federal funding and grant activity

Harry Lehi, representing Congressman Jared Moskowitz’s office, and federal lobbyist Jim Crum explained federal timing and described several high-priority funding items tied to the city’s agenda. Lehi said the congressman’s office has supported a congressional directed request of $1,152,000 for a redundant fiber-optic ring for the city; that request remains held in the congressional appropriations process until…