Bartley lecture highlights the importance of public service
Former Gainesville Mayor Pegeen Hanrahan spoke to students, faculty, and alumni of the URP Department at the 13th Annual Ernest R. Bartley Memorial Lecture
Pegeen Hanrahan speaks at the 13th Annual Ernest R. Bartley Memorial Lecture. Photo by Kyle Dost.
October 13, 2021
On October 7, 2021, at the Matheson History Museum in Gainesville, the University of Florida Urban and Regional Planning Department hosted the 13th Annual Ernest R. Bartley Memorial Lecture. Those who were in attendance — whether in person or via zoom — were then treated to a discussion on public service from two-term Mayor of Gainesville, Pegeen Hanrahan.
Pegeen’s experience spans nearly 30 years of public service as a staff member, an elected official, and as an advocate. She has worked with over 40 cities, mostly in Florida, to help local governments establish parks, environmental protections, and with their conservation efforts. She estimates that she has logged over 15,000 in public meetings.
Perhaps the most important lesson Pegeen learned was the art of building relationships, especially when working with communities that may have values that do not always align with recreation and conservation efforts. The importance of connecting the values that planners know can elevate the well-being of society to the experiences of community leaders and stakeholders is vital to success.
The Ernest R. Bartley Memorial Lecture is held each fall. Dr. Bartley began as a faculty member in the Department of Political Science participated in founding the Urban and Regional Planning Department in 1975. He retired formally from the University in 1992, but he continued to teach until his death. During his fifty-nine years of association with the University of Florida, he received seven teaching awards from two colleges for his outstanding teaching. He was on the graduate faculty and served as a member of several University-wide committees.
This year, the department also recognized Earl Starnes. Jim Richards and Paul Zwick, along with former students, spoke in memory of Starnes, who passed away on August 30, 2021. Dr. Starnes was the first chair of the Urban and Regional Planning Department after being appointed by Governor Askew to the Division of State Planning in 1972. He was an integral member of the planning community in Florida and will be sorely missed.