League Of Cities Honors Port Orange Mayor With Home Rule Hero Award

Port Orange, FL - Port Orange Mayor Don Burnette is receiving praise from the Florida League of Cities (FLC) after the league recognized him with a 2021 Home Rule Hero Award. Recipients of the Home Rule Hero Award are local government officials—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. "These local officials went above and beyond during the 2021 Legislative Session," said FLC Director of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. "They made an extraordinary effort, were actively engaged and highly effective in their advocacy efforts." "Even with all the various challenges present this year due to the pandemic, they stepped up. They engaged with legislators, shared their stories and made their voices heard, and it made a difference," added Cook. Burnette first became mayor of Port Orange in 2016. His tenure with the city began in 2010 after he was elected to serve on the city council as representative of District 2. From there, Burnette served as Vice Mayor for 2 years before being elected mayor of the city. Burnette graduated from Spruce Creek in 1985 and earned his Bachelor’s and Masters of Business Administration from UCF. He will be serving as Mayor until his term ends in 2024. "I am honored and humbled to be recognized by the Florida League of Cities as a Home Rule Hero," said Burnette. "Protecting Home Rule is one of the most important things that I can do as mayor to support our Port Orange residents by ensuring their voices are heard in handling local issues and making local decisions."