By Brian McLaughlin
Libertarian Party of Pinellas County June Report
One of the key 2017 initiatives for the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County is to try to get as many members into appointed local positions as possible. It isnât the first time this has been a goal in the LPPC, but there has been some serious headway made in just the past six months.
This month, LPPC executive committee member Mark Rodriguez was appointed to a seat with the seven-person City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Board. It is a four-year appointment and will meet quarterly to review budgeting, zoning, allocation of funds and proposed renovation of city properties.
RELATED: Come join the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County for its upcoming July and August events
âIâve gotten tired of people pointing fingers and complaining about government, and I decided to put my money and time where my mouth is,â said Rodriguez, who serves as the North Pinellas Representative of the LPPC EC. âI like the saying that, âEvery nation gets a government it deservesâ. It is what happens when you arenât a part of changing it.â
Earlier this year, fellow EC member Chris McLaughlin was appointed to the Dunedin Hammock Advisory Committee (HAC) for a three-year term. He was also asked this past month to join the Dunedin Local Planning Agency, but the meetings conflict with other meetings within his field of work â surveying.
Speaking of surveying, McLaughlin was also confirmed by the Florida Senate and commissioned by Gov. Rick Scott for the Florida Board of Professional Surveyors and Mappers, which meets quarterly in Tallahassee. The Dunedin HAC meets monthly. Heâs also taken on a spot as a Director of his neighborhood HOA and has been asked to take on the Presidentâs role of the HOA down the line.
âI just want to get active in the community,â said McLaughlin, the LPPC At-Large Rep in the EC. âI just wanted to get acclimated, to learn how the city of Dunedin is structured.â
LPPC member and LPF Region 8 representative J.D. Pierce has applied for a position with the Clearwater Housing Authority and will find out if he will be appointed later this year. There is a very good chance three LPPC members will be in appointed positions by 2018, and more Libertarians in Pinellas are planning to go for appointed roles in the next year to two years.
âThis is a great step for future leaders to gain experience and for people to develop their communication skills and policy-making skills,â newly elected LPPC chairman Daryle Hamel said. âItâs a chance to network with people and be involved, so itâs great from that standpoint. At the end of the day weâre all in this together, and beyond just the Libertarian Party, weâre also Pinellas County residents.â
NEW LPPC LEADERS: As mentioned above, Daryle Hamel (Ballotpedia page) â a former primary candidate for Florida State House â was unanimously elected by the LPPC as the newest chairman at a June 22 special election. Hamel is very involved in the Pinellas County civic and business community and has been involved with Libertarian campaigns in the past.
Also elected was new vice-chairman Matthew Skopek (Ballotpedia page), the former state chairman of Illinois and former candidate for Illinois Treasurer who nearly hit the 150,000-vote mark and still holds the third highest LP vote total for statewide office in Illinois history.
Hamel and Skopek are the new leaders of the second largest Libertarian county affiliate in the state, in terms of registered Libertarians. Neighboring Hillsborough is the largest county affiliate, by that criteria.
Second Pinellas Libertarian Appointed to Local Post, More to Come By Brian McLaughlin Libertarian Party of Pinellas County June Report One of the key 2017 initiatives for the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County is to try to get as many members into appointed local positions as possible.
