Palm Beach County League of Cities Thanks Dr. Priore

Source: Palm Beach County League of Cities
Date: February 28, 2012

At the February General Membership meeting, Village of Wellington Mayor Pro Tem Carmine Priore was recognized for his 13 years of dedicated service as a member of the Palm Beach County League of Cities’ Board of Directors. To assist with the honors, we were joined by Florida League of Cities President Pat Bates and Board Relations Director Linda Bridges. Also there to share the moment was his lovely wife, Marie.

 Dr. Priore was involved with Wellington before there was a Wellington. He and Marie moved from Miami in 1984, when it was the Acme Improvement District. He began his long history of public service in the county in 1992, when he was elected to the District’s Board of Supervisors. He served there until 1996, the last two years as President.

 He was part of the team that sought to make the Village of Wellington Palm Beach County’s 37th incorporated municipality. That work paid off in December 1995. Dr. Priore: “Probably one of the most exciting times of my life was being in the gallery for the passage of the bill.” When official operations began in March 1996, he was elected to the Village’s first council, and served as its first Vice Mayor. He’s proud to have been re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2008. He also served as Mayor from 1998 to 2000. Village term limits make this March the end of his council career.

 His service to his community hasn’t been confined to the Village dais. Dr. Priore has been President of the Wellington Rotary Club, and a member of the Palms West Hospital Board of Trustees, the Palms West Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and the Boys & Girls Club of Wellington Board of Directors. In 1999 he was named the Boy Scouts of America’s Man of the Year. He has also served as President of the Palm Beach County Dental Association. 

 Dr. Priore has been honored by three Governors to serve the state: in 1996, Governor Lawton Chiles appointed him to the Commission on Local Government II; in 2002 Governor Jeb Bush appointed him to the Legislative Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; and in 2010 Governor Charlie Crist appointed him to the Complete Count Committee.

 His involvement with the Palm Beach County League of Cities, as well as the state and national leagues, has allowed him to continue to represent his Village and the county on a larger scale. He joined this League’s Board of Directors in 1999, serving as President from 2002 to 2003.

 His involvement with the Florida League of Cities is notable. He was elected 2nd Vice President of the Board of Directors in 2006. He and Marie greatly enjoyed traveling the state to visit all of its counties. As President in 2008 – 2009, his initiative was to return civics to Florida’s classrooms. He worked with former Governor and Senator Bob Graham, Senate President Jeff Atwater and U.S. Representative Lou Frey on the “Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Education Act” bills, passed by the Florida Legislature. Civics education is now part of the state’s middle school curriculum.

 Dr. Priore was honored by the Florida League of Cities in 2010 with the E. Harris Drew Lifetime Achievement award, given to elected officials dedicated to excellence in municipal government. By his side, as always, was Marie, his biggest supporter.

 At the National League of Cities, he has served on the Finance, Administration & Intergovernmental Relations Committee, and in 2010 was appointed to the Board of Directors representing Florida.

 The Priores have two children and four grandchildren, and they’ll celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at this year’s Florida League of Cities Annual Conference. Marie has enjoyed meeting people over the years, and according to Dr. Priore, she’ll miss the adventure almost as much as he will.

 What’s next? For one, the Wellington Foundation, which he chairs. It’s a 501(c)3 organization which received endowments for distribution to Village residents and groups.

 Anything else? “We’ll see what’s going to happen.”

 When asked how he’d sum up his life so far, Dr. Priore said “It’s been a really great ride.” He then borrowed from Lord Tennyson: “We are all part of who we have met.”

We look forward to “what’s going to happen.”