December 7, 2022 – Flagler County Land Management Public Lands and Natural Resource Manager Michael Lagasse snapped a stunning photograph of Lake Disston that is featured in the Florida Association of Counties (FAC) 2023 calendar that is themed Keep Calm & Love Water. His picture was selected to represent April.
“That photo took itself,” Lagasse said humbly. “I’m glad it was used. Lake Disston is a real treasure.”
Lagasse had strong competition locally, as the county solicited submissions and entered about two dozen. Public Information Officer Julie Murphy requested the photo from Lagasse for a different project and thought it warranted a place with the other submissions and entered it on his behalf.
“Our staff is extremely talented, sometimes in ways unrelated to their official scope of work,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “Michael Lagasse is a prime example of our well-rounded staff.”
The Florida Association of Counties accepted more than 500 entries from 52 of Florida’s 67 counties.
“With water being Florida’s most abundant resource, it was only natural to showcase our waterways in the calendar’s theme,” said Lee Constantine, FAC President and Seminole County Commissioner in a release issued by the Florida Association of Counties. “It was extremely tough to narrow 500 submissions down to 15, but I am proud to present this calendar on behalf of Florida’s counties.”
The chosen counties include:
- Cover: Okaloosa County taken by Nick Tomecek
- December 2022: Indian River County taken by Visit Indian River
- January 2023: Palm Beach County taken by Discover the Palm Beaches
- February 2023: Walton County taken by Marlon Davey
- March 2023: Franklin County taken by Marlon Davey
- April 2023: Flagler County taken by Michael Lagasse
- May 2023: Okeechobee County taken by Sharie Turgeon
- June 2023: Suwannee County taken by Charissa Setzer
- July 2023: Monroe County taken by Michael Schilling
- August 2023: Escambia County taken by Kayla Avirett
- September 2023: Lee County taken by Saskia Angela Weber
- October 2023: Wakulla County taken by Wakulla County
