Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Quarterly Awards and Recognition Ceremony - October 28, 2026

The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners held its Quarterly Awards and Recognition Ceremony on October 28, 2026, honoring county employees, nonprofit organizations, and health awareness campaigns. Commissioner Myers gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance. The ceremony recognized four county departments for achieving American Public Works Association (APWA) reaccreditation and presented proclamations for World Sight Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

APWA Reaccreditation Recognition

• The board honored Public Works Administration, Facilities Management and Real Estate Services, Fleet Services, and Solid Waste Management for their APWA reaccreditation. Recognized leaders included Assistant County Administrator Kim Beyer, Engineering and Operations Director Josh Bellotti, Business Operations Division Director Marissa Ramirez, Facilities Management and Real Estate Services Director John Mueller, Solid Waste Management Director Damien Trommel, Assistant County Administrator for Public Utilities George Cassidy, Fleet Services Director Justin Laffler, and APWA regional director Larry Ingram.
• The accreditation process involved a review of 40 chapters and 525 best practices, with six reaccreditation managers and over 30 chapter leaders working in addition to their regular duties. Public Works Administration earned its fifth reaccreditation (first accredited in 2006), while Facilities Management and Real Estate Services, Fleet Services, and Solid Waste Management each earned their second reaccreditation.
• The departments were described as four of 231 accredited agencies; Larry Ingram later said the latest count was 241 accredited agencies. Ingram also said there are roughly 23,000 public works agencies across the U.S. and Canada, placing Hillsborough County departments in the 99th percentile, and that the departments are four of approximately 42 accredited agencies in Florida.
• Ingram noted that October 28 is National First Responders Day and said public works employees should be considered first responders because they are first in after disasters and last out, clearing roads and helping communities recover.
• Ingram described the reaccreditation threshold as requiring '957% of the 528 practices' to be in full compliance (as transcribed; this figure was followed by the statement that the departments earned 100% full compliance).
• Note: The transcript contains an internal discrepancy: the earlier description cites 525 best practices in 40 chapters, while Ingram's remarks refer to 528 practices. The transcript also reads '957%' where a lower percentage was expected.
• Kim Beyer thanked the employees and credited Division Director Rob Sees with the original vision for the accreditation. Ingram thanked county administration and commissioners for supporting the accreditation effort.

Proclamation: World Sight Month

• Commissioner Cohen presented a proclamation to Preserve Vision Florida Board Chair Kevin Bakewell and Director of Programs Marilee Berrios, recognizing October 2026 as World Sight Month in Hillsborough County.
• The proclamation cited World Health Organization data that at least 2.2 billion people have near or distance vision impairment and at least one billion of those cases could have been prevented or are yet to be addressed.
• It also noted that one in three children enter school with vision loss, 75% of adults use some type of vision correction, and seniors with vision issues face increased risks of falls, social isolation, and depression.
• Preserve Vision Florida, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1957 by Mildred Baynard of St. Petersburg, will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2027 and provides more than 16,000 services, including vision screenings, eye exams, glasses, and vision health education.
• Commissioner Cohen spoke about her personal reliance on glasses since second grade. Kevin Bakewell expressed gratitude, said Preserve Vision is not only the organization's name but also what it does, and noted that losing vision is one of people's top health worries.

Proclamation: Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Day

• Commissioner Cohen also recognized the American Cancer Society and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Tampa Bay, including Paige Carbon, Megan Arnold, Doug Abate, and representatives from Portraits of Hope and Men Wear Pink.
• The proclamation declared October 2026 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and October 24, 2026 as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Day in Hillsborough County.
• It cited American Cancer Society estimates that more than 323,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, that breast cancer death rates have declined 44% since 1989, and that more than four million breast cancer survivors live in the U.S.
• Paige Carbon, executive ambassador co-chair for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Tampa Bay, thanked the county and said more than 32,000 people attended the October 24, 2026 event at Raymond James Stadium. She said the community was on track to reach a $1.2 million fundraising goal, making Tampa Bay the number three Making Strides event in the country. She encouraged people to talk with healthcare providers about risk and screening and to support those facing a diagnosis.

Key Outcomes

• Four county departments were celebrated for APWA reaccreditation with 100% full compliance.
• The board issued proclamations declaring World Sight Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Day.
• No formal votes were taken during the ceremony.