Mayor Michelle Lincoln Leads Monroe County Delegation to FAC Legislative Day

Mayor Michelle Lincoln led a four-person Monroe County delegation to the Florida Association of Counties Legislative Day in Tallahassee, joining county commissioners and staff to press local priorities with state lawmakers. Lincoln, serving this year as FAC president, traveled with Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein, Commissioner Jim Scholl, and Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson to the event at the FSU Turnbull Conference Center on January 21, 2026.

The FAC Legislative Day program began with a legislative briefing at 8:00 AM after registration opened at 7:00 AM, and moved into grassroots lobbying and scheduled meetings with legislative delegations beginning at 10:30 AM. The county’s delegation used that afternoon window to meet with Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez and Representative Jim Mooney to discuss “key issues for Monroe County’s residents, visitors, and businesses,” Montgomery County officials said. The FAC schedule closed with an evening legislative reception from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM at Eve on Adams, the rooftop of the DoubleTree Hotel.

Lincoln framed the trip as a continuation of intentional engagement with the legislature. “Our presence here reflects our ongoing commitment to proactive engagement with our legislature,” she said. Local coverage noted that the delegation emphasized priorities that include safeguarding water quality and defending local home rule, aims framed as central to protecting the Florida Keys’ environment, economy, and quality of life. The county directs residents to its legislative affairs page for more detail on stated priorities.

Institutionally, FAC Legislative Day is structured to pair county leaders with state policymakers during the height of the legislative session. The event’s agenda highlights formal briefings followed by face-to-face meetings intended to “defend home-rule authority and resist unfunded mandates,” and FAC encourages attendees to use the day to “engage, advocate, connect, and advance county priorities.” Practical logistics stressed by organizers included mandatory name badges for session admission, business attire, and an event Wi‑Fi listing marked TBD.

Monroe County’s delegation joined representatives from other Florida counties; an attendee from Orange County noted on social media that the county sent a representative to the FAC sessions. For local voters, the trip translates into direct advocacy at the Capitol on issues county leaders say affect shorelines, businesses, and everyday services. How those conversations translate into specific legislative outcomes remains to be seen; county officials can be asked to provide the detailed list of asks and any bill numbers advanced during the meetings.

What comes next for residents is monitoring the county’s legislative affairs page for updates and any formal requests or bills the delegation has supported in Tallahassee. The work in Tallahassee sets the agenda for spring debates that could shape local regulatory authority and funding for water-quality safeguards that matter to Monroe County households and businesses.