League of Cities names Larry Travis as new leader

During a recent dinner hosted in Micanopy, High Springs City Commissioner Larry Travis was sworn in as the new president of the Alachua County League of Cities.

Fellow league representative and mayor of the City of Alachua, Gib Coerper, said “I think he’ll bring a brand new energy level to the position.”

The league is a local faction of the Florida League of Cities. It is a collection of municipalities of which representatives come together to discuss regional and state issues. The network of leagues provides guidance and support to local governments, and the organization offers resources to help cities advocate for or against state legislation.

Coerper explained that they meet once a month to discuss issues and how to address them.

The league does not have actual legal power, but rather serves as a forum for new ideas and collaboration of local municipalities, as well as an avenue for education on state legislation.

Travis replaced Waldo Mayor Louie Davis as the county league’s president. Davis served in the position for nearly 12 years, Coerper said.

When Davis announced that he would be stepping down, he asked for volunteers interested in filling the position.

“Larry stepped up to the plate, and I think he’ll do a wonderful job.”

The idea of the league, he explained, is that collectively, the cities of Alachua County can address issues more effectively than they can individually.