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James W. Denhardt to Head Florida Municipal Attorneys Association

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Saint Petersburg Attorney Elected President of
Prestigious Statewide Attorneys Organization

James W. Denhardt, a Saint Petersburg lawyer who serves as city attorney for Pinellas Park and Redington Shores, was named president of the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA) at the organization’s 36th Annual Seminar. He will serve a one-year term leading the FMAA.
“The Florida Municipal Attorneys Association is a group of approximately 800 of what I consider to be some of the most outstanding attorneys in the state, both in the public and private sectors, and who represent municipalities and governments as in-house counsel and as outside special counsel,” said Denhardt. “I am extremely flattered and honored to have been selected to serve as president of the FMAA for the next year.”
After graduating from law school in 1973, Denhardt was an assistant state attorney for the Sixth Judicial Circuit for three and a half years, and has maintained a private practice of law in St. Petersburg for the past 41 years. He has served continuously as town attorney for the Town of Redington Shores for 39 years, served as city attorney for the City of Treasure Island for 17 years, and has served as city attorney for the City of Pinellas Park for the past 13 years. In addition, he has served as special counsel for the City of St. Petersburg, City of Clearwater, and the City of Madeira Beach, and has served as special magistrate for a number of other communities.
“I have worked closely with Jim on a number of matters over the years. He is not only an extremely competent attorney, but also a very practical-minded one, both in his private practice and in his representation of his municipal clients,” said retired St. Petersburg City Attorney and former FMAA President John Wolfe. “He has served a number of Pinellas County municipalities as city attorney and in other capacities for nearly 40 years. He is very respected by his peers in this area and throughout the state. Jim is well prepared to lead the FMAA as president.”
“Jim is well-versed in the area of municipal law and has repeatedly shared his knowledge with city attorneys throughout the state,” said Florida League of Cities General Counsel Chip Morrison. “He will serve the FMAA well as president.”
New officers were also elected for the 2017-18 term. Fort Lauderdale City Attorney Cynthia Everett will serve as president-elect and Orlando Chief Assistant City Attorney Kyle A. Shephard will serve as treasurer.

Florida Municipal Attorneys Association Presents Douglas J. Sale with Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

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Former Panama City Beach City Attorney Honored with
Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award

Douglas “Doug” J. Sale, former city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach, has been honored with the Claude L. Mullis Lifetime Distinguished Service Award by the Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA).
“Doug has devoted a lifetime to the practice of municipal law, spent untold hours providing legal counsel to city officials and his colleagues, lectured repeatedly, and written numerous articles on municipal law,” said Florida League of Cities General Counsel Chip Morrison. “He has given tirelessly and unselfishly to his community and to Florida’s municipal community. Doug exemplifies the reasons why this award was created.”
This award, which is given to an attorney whose achievements and dedication to the field of municipal law are extraordinary, recognizes a lifetime of significant achievements and distinguished service in this field. There have only been nine recipients of this award during the past 18 years, including its inaugural recipient, the late Claude L. Mullis in 1999.
This honor is only bestowed upon an outstanding municipal lawyer who has demonstrated integrity and honesty throughout his career, has achieved significant career success and has reflected the basic values of those who have excelled in the practice of municipal law.
“I worked side by side with Doug for 18 years while serving as mayor and we attended many local, regional, and state government meetings. Doug was always completely prepared. He was very involved and his guidance was instrumental in bringing Panama City Beach from a little sleepy village to a world class resort,” said Philip Griffitts, former mayor of Panama City Beach. “Many ordinances had to be redone or created and they were done by a man who cares. As our city attorney for over 35 years, Doug has been invaluable in shaping our coastal city into one that residents and tourists are proud of and love. He is well-liked and respected.”
Sale served as the city attorney for the City of Panama City Beach from 1981 until 2016 and is a founding partner of the Harrison Sale McCloy law firm. His primary areas of practice are local government, public finance, and land use law. Sale also serves as general counsel for the Panama City Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, the Bay County Tourist Development Council and the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. He was named FMAA Attorney of the Year in 1999 and is a past president of the association.
The Florida Municipal Attorneys Association (FMAA) was formally organized during late 1981, and adopted its constitution in May of 1982. Its membership consists of over 600 attorneys who specialize in the legal representation of municipalities. These members include full-time and part-time city attorneys and their assistant city attorneys as well as attorneys who engage in private practice and who render specialized legal representation to municipalities (e.g. labor lawyers, bond attorneys, civil rights attorneys, and environmental and land-use attorneys). For more information, visit www.fmaa.us.