The City of Sunrise, Florida along with the Florida League of Cities (FLC) together announce that Deputy Mayor Neil C. Kerch is distinguished with a 2025 Home Rule Hero Award for his hard work and advocacy efforts during the 2025 Legislative Session. Deputy Mayor Kerch worked tirelessly throughout the session to promote local voices making local choices by sharing insights, local data, and real-world examples that helped inform state lawmakers and elevate the voice of Florida’s cities.

"It’s an honor to be recognized for supporting Sunrise’s right to implement solutions that work for our community,” said Deputy Mayor Neil C. Kerch. “This award highlights the importance of defending Home Rule and ensuring that the residents and businesses of Sunrise have a strong voice in decisions that directly affect them. I remain committed to advocating for local solutions to local challenges and working every day to protect the ability of cities like ours to shape our own future.”

Home Rule is the ability for a city to address a community’s specific concerns with local solutions with minimal state interference. Home Rule Hero Award recipients are local government officials, both 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.

Deputy Mayor Kerch was elected to the Sunrise City Commission in March of 2013, re-elected in 2014 and 2018, and returned to office without opposition in 2022. He has three guiding principles as an elected official, which are: follow your vision for the city, serve with integrity, and deliver results.

“This session, local leaders stepped up once again, bringing persistence, perspective, and a strong voice for local decision-making to every conversation,” said FLC Chief of Legislative Affairs Casey Cook. “The League and our legislative team deeply appreciate their leadership and are proud to recognize the meaningful difference they made for Florida’s cities.”

Founded in 1922, the Florida League of Cities is the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments. Its goals are to promote local self-government and serve the needs of Florida’s cities, which are formed and governed by their citizens. The League believes in “Local Voices Making Local Choices,” which focuses on the impact citizens and city leaders have in improving Florida’s communities.

For more information on FLC, visit www.flcities.com. For more information about the City of Sunrise City Commission, please visit www.sunrisefl.gov/commission.