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 the new Congress completes funding work, expected in March. “That was $1,152,000 and we are awaiting guidance,” Lehi said.

Crum summarized additional grant work and federal policy items. He said the city’s application invited positive attention for a FEMA BRIC (Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities) strategy and confirmed the city’s fleet-hardening project was invited to submit a final FEMA application for $1,600,000. “They recently got feedback from FEMA, positive feedback, and were invited to submit a final application,” Crum said. Crum also recapped the city’s earlier body-worn camera support, noting the city received $963,000 for that project.

Crum and Lehi also flagged a federal policy issue of concern: changes to Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) fee-to-trust rules. Crum said the Department of the Interior issued a final rule that streamlines the fee-to-trust process but that implementation details — to be set out in a forthcoming fee-to-trust manual — will determine how local governments can review or participate in future actions. “The devil’s in the details,” Crum said. He added that staff in Washington are monitoring the manual and coordinating with the BIA on interpretation once it is released.

Grant and appropriation support

City staff and the congressman’s office said they routinely provide letters of support and technical assistance for federal and state grant applications. Lehi noted the office sends support letters for Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and for SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) applications and encouraged departments to prepare applications promptly when solicitations open. The commission was also told the city will pursue state appropriations for water projects and for an AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) modernization project.

State priorities and legislative risks

State leaders and lobbyists reviewed the proposed state agenda and cautioned commissioners about likely themes this legislative session. State Senator Tina Polsky told the commission she and local House members are available to help shape bill ideas and appropriations: “Please let us know any bill ideas you have,” she said. Representative Christine Hunchovsky said she and the senator work together on appropriations for the city and welcome ideas for bills while the legislature is in its bill-forming stage.

Lobbyists Candace Erics and Lauren Jackson and Senator Polsky’s office described several issues the city placed on its state agenda or watch list: protection of home-rule authority, opposition to unfunded mandates, sovereign immunity (a proposal the city moved from a watch item to the regular program), public camping and sleeping clarifications, and housing- and condo-related affordability measures. Representative Panchonski highlighted the My Safe Florida Home program and said the condominium sector should have comparable access to mitigation funds. “While we don’t quote unquote bail homeowners out, we do give them the My Safe Florida Home program,” Panchonski said, adding that she hopes for additional funding or pilot opportunities for condos.

Commissioners raised local concerns that align with the state agenda, including condo reserve timelines and the combined pressures of condominium safety laws and rising insurance costs. Vice Mayor Railey asked whether the state could provide additional time to meet required reserve funding schedules for condo repairs; staff replied that reserve money must be in place by the time a specific project is due and that the schedule for reserve accumulation varies by project timing.

Ceremonial appropriation presentation and next steps

The meeting also included a ceremonial presentation of a state appropriations check for a city water/wastewater infrastructure improvement project by Senator Polsky and Representative Hunchovsky. Commissioners were not asked to vote on the check during the workshop; staff said a formal agenda item for approval of the federal and state legislative packages is scheduled for the commission’s Jan. 23 meeting.

Procedural note

A motion to adjourn was made at the close of the workshop session and the meeting concluded without further action.

Ending

Staff and the city’s federal and state lobbyists said they will continue to refine appropriation requests and grant applications, notify the commission of new bill filings during the session, and return the final legislative agendas for formal approval on Jan. 23.