Coral Springs Police Lt. Joe McHugh isn't planning on letting a little thing like retirement keep him down.
After nearly three decades on the force, McHugh is taking the uniform and badge off later this year. He's hoping to enter a new line of service around the same time.
McHugh, 53, is running to succeed Joy Carter in Seat 5 of the Coral Springs Commission. He faces one opponent: 66-year-old retired sales rep Jose "Joe" Morera, the President of the Sunshine Water Control District who in January notched an endorsement from Carter.
Morera ran unsuccessfully for the City Commission in 2020. McHugh, who sits on the city's Development Review Committee, is a first-time candidate. He carries support from the Coral Springs Fraternal Order of Police, Metro Broward Firefighters and Paramedics, Broward Police Benevolent Association, Broward Deputy Sheriffs Association, Broward Teachers Union, Broward Teamsters and school safety activist Andrew Pollack.
"This city has given me 28 great years," McHugh told Florida Politics. "The relationships I've developed here over that time have been so invaluable to me that I want to continue helping the residents, business owners and employees here."
Born in New Jersey, McHugh moved to Coral Springs in 1994 and joined the city's Police Department as a patrol officer two years later. Today, his responsibilities include serving as the Department's spokesperson and overseeing its special events, police vehicle fleet and body-worn camera programs.
His decorations include two Meritorious Police Duty commendations, three Excellent Police Duty commendations, three Life Saving commendations, two Team Citation Awards, a Community Involvement Award and a Unit of the Year, among others.
He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from Columbia Southern University.
If elected, McHugh said he wants to improve school safety and mental health support, beautify the city and its parks, offer more in-city recreation options, support military veterans and support programs that help retain local talent.
He also plans to back efforts that would expand affordable housing options for city workers.
"Downtown Coral Springs is being developed, and originally that was supposed to include condominiums where people could have permanent residence. They changed it all to rental housing," he said.
"One building they built is only 50% occupied because it's so expensive to live there. Now, I'll be the first person to tell you I don't know how to solve this thing myself, but working together as a team with the other Commissioners to fix that would be something I'd really look forward to."
Overall, McHugh said he's happy with the job Coral Springs' leaders have done when it comes to social programs and in the contributions and achievements of residents. He's particularly taken with a Summer program the city created for neurodiverse youths.
"It's phenomenal," he said. "Those are the kinds of programs we need — things for our children, our military personnel — to make life easier here."
If elected, he plans to continue seeking feedback from the community.
"My biggest attribute is I'm very personable," he said.
Through the end of June, McHugh raised more than $13,000, some of it from businesses, some from residents in and around Coral Springs. Morera has raised close to triple that sum.
McHugh said he wants the City Commission job so he can continue to serve and make a positive impact on his community — but he doesn't need it.
"I can live off my pension. I don't ever extend my means, so I don't need this job for financial support. My biggest expense now is that my son plays travel ice hockey for the Florida Junior Panthers," he said. "I'm doing this because I care about and want to continue being involved in the community that's supported me for so long and that now supports my son."
The Coral Springs General Election is on Nov. 5.
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