Municipal Awards Presented During OML Annual Conference
Last week, during the 2023 Oklahoma Municipal League Annual Conference, several municipal leaders were recognized for their accomplishments and work on behalf of their municipalities.
The award winners recognized include the following:
The Mayor of the Year Award: first established in 1992 recognizing outstanding mayors who have made significant contributions to their community as well as their profession through personal growth and involvement. The Mayor of the Year award has 2 categories, one with a population of 5,000 and over, and fewer than 5,000.
The 2023 Mayor of the Year for communities over 5,000 – awarded by the Mayor’s Council of Oklahoma: Mayor of Lawton, Stan Booker.
The 2022 Mayor of the Year for communities under 5,000 – awarded by the Mayor’s Council of Oklahoma: Mayor of North Enid, Jason Dockins.
The Jeff Shockley Award: The 2023 winner is Mike Brown, Mayor of Weatherford.
This award was established in 2021 recognizing outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities. Named after Jeff Shockley, long-time Poteau mayor, OML Board Member, and Hall of Fame inductee, Shockley was a great ambassador for OML, city of Poteau, and the State of Oklahoma.
The Don Rider Award: The 2023 winner is Michael Carter, City Manager of Sand Springs. The Don Rider Transparency in Government Award sponsored by the Oklahoma Press Association and OML was established in 2021 to recognize municipal governments and employees who live up to the principles of transparency, both in the letter and spirit of the law. Don Rider was a leader in the creation and passage of the two most important Oklahoma laws that help citizens interact with their government – the Open Records Act and the Open Meeting Act.
Municipal Innovations Award: In 1996, OML created an award to recognize cities and towns for their innovative ideas. With this award, the goal is to encourage the sharing of ideas among our members and to celebrate the innovations of Oklahoma’s municipalities.
2023 Innovations Award for communities under 5,000 winner: Town of Hochatown for their CERT Safety initiative.
2023 Innovations Award for communities over 5,000 winner: City of Weatherford for their Heritage Park-Yes Weatherford 2020.
Women of the Year Awards: The Oklahoma Women in Municipal Government group established this award to recognize outstanding women who have made significant contributions to their community through their role in municipal government.
The 2023 Woman of the Year for communities over 5,000 winner: Rachel Bernish, Chickasha.
The 2022 Mayor of the Year for communities under 5,000 winner: Betsy Groves, Kremlin.
“We appreciate the work and dedication that municipal professionals put into their communities each and every day,” said Mike Fina, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Municipal League. “These awards recognize the best of the best and highlight the great work happening in cities and towns all across Oklahoma.”
The Oklahoma Municipal League is the authoritative source for information, training, and resources on effective local government for member organizations and is recognized as the unified voice of Oklahoma cities and towns.
Photos of the winners are on our website: https://www.omlconference.org/awards
The Oklahoma Municipal League is the authoritative source for information, training, and resources on effective local government for member organizations and is recognized as the unified voice of Oklahoma cities and towns.
###