BEMIDJI — Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince is being nationally recognized for his leadership amid disaster after hurricane-strength winds tore through the city and surrounding area on June 21.
The straight-line wind event, named by some meteorological types as a derecho, knocked out power to thousands of residents and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses.
“Mayor Prince demonstrated exceptional leadership and resilience during the derecho,” the three-judge panel stated in a news release.
“His ability to guide the community to a swift and robust recovery while working to implement innovative measures to protect against future threats truly sets him apart as a leader dedicated to long-term community well-being.”
Prince, in a phone interview, said he was surprised when he learned he was nominated for the award by the League of Minnesota Cities.
He said he would only accept if he could do so on behalf of the entire community.
“We know what the aftermath of the storm was for us, how critical and serious it was, how many people were involved — whether that was our emergency service personnel, the lines people that restored power, the United Way, Community Resource Connections, neighbors helping neighbors,” Prince said. “For me to say I want to stand above all of that is not anything I'm interested in.”
Prince is the fourth recipient of the Tommy Longo Disaster Leadership Award, a nationwide award by the nonprofit LeadersLink to honor city and county officials who lead their communities well through a major disaster.
The award is named after the late mayor of Waveland, Mississippi, John Thomas “Tommy” Longo. Longo led the city’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and later volunteered to be a LeadersLink mentor.
LeadersLink Founder and Executive Director Kathleen Koch will present the award to Prince in the coming months at an event in Minnesota.
“As disasters become more frequent and severe, leaders like Mayor Prince are a brain trust for those who follow,” Koch stated. “Sharing what disaster veterans like him have learned can help speed the recoveries of other communities struggling after major disasters.”
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