At its annual meeting on May 7, The League of Women Voters will honor Melanie Nichols, president of the North Hill Preservation Association, with its inaugural Making Democracy Work Award.
“We want to recognize individuals who have envisioned a way to improve the community and mobilize others to work with them to effect a change benefiting the broader community.†said Haley Richards, Co-President.
“Melanie Nichols’ dedication, commitment and shared passion to improving our community represents all that the League stands for and supports in the Pensacola Bay Area.â€
Nichols is the federal worker that was targeted by City Administrator Eric Olson, who called her bosses insinuating that she was using her job to intimidate city staff. She was not reprimanded by her employer, but Olson had to survive a no-confidence vote by the Pensacola City Council.
As president of her homeowners association, she has fought City Hall over allowing a parole office near her neighborhood, a radio tower in the Long Hollow Conservation District, a cell tower on A Street and sewage storage tanks.
The meeting is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., Business Meeting 10 a.m., and Luncheon at noon. Reservations required for lunch. Mail $25 to LWVPBA, P.O. Box 2023, Pensacola, FL, 32513 or PayPal on lwvpba.org.
The keynote speaker is Pamela Goodman, President League of Women Voters of Florida, who will present an inside look at the ongoing controversy of Redistricting in Florida and will highlight League issues from the recent legislative session at our Annual Meeting.
Goodman has served as President of the Florida League of Women Voters since May 2015. Educated at the University of Iowa in journalism and business, Goodman spent her professional career in retailing, rising to President/CEO of Limited Express, with $1.5 billion in revenue and over 850 stores nationwide. Her international business relationships involved the Far East, Europe, India and Israel.