City Commission Meeting Briefs: October 23, 2024

Provided below are the news briefs from City Commission meeting held on October 23, 2024

Item 9.01 (Pulled from consent by Commissioner Porter) After questions by Commissioner Porter, the city commission voted 5-0 to approve a committee’s ranking and recommendation to negotiate and execute contracts with MGT of America, Change by Design, and Gallagher Benefit Services for consultant services for the Human Resources & Workforce Development departments.

Item 12.01 The city commission voted 5-0 to participate in the Children’s Services Council workshop on human services funding and to appoint Commissioner Williams-Cox as the city commission representative.

The city received an invitation from the County Chair through the Children’s Services Council (CSC) to participate in a workshop in early November. The workshop is planned to discuss how the CSC may partner with Leon County and the City on the Community Human Services Partnership (CHSP) funding categories that directly serve children, youth, and families. Staff is seeking city commission direction on city participation in the workshop and ongoing policy discussions.

Item 12.02 Postponed The item related to the Griffin Heights Neighborhood First Plan implementation funding allocation was postponed.

Item 12.03 The city commission voted 3-2 (Matlow, Porter against) to support a land development variance related to segment C of the Airport Gateway Project. However, after a vote to reconsider and further discussion, the city commission voted 5-0 to postpone the item.

The request was submitted to the Growth Management Department by the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency to vary from the standards of Chapter 5 of the Land Development Code to allow for impacts to preservation areas for the construction of Segment C of the Airport Gateway linear infrastructure project, connecting W. Orange Avenue to Stuckey Avenue through Florida State University’s Southwest Tallahassee Campus.

The Land Development Code requires that projects proposing more than two acres of development activity within conservation or preservation features shall make the request to the city commission. This request is to allow for permanent impacts to up to 3.57 acres of preservation areas and 4.31 acres of conservation areas for roadway construction, including mitigation for the proposed impacts.

Item 12.04 After a Strategic Plan update by Thomas Whitley, Director of Operations & Innovation, the city commission voted 3-2 (Matlow, Porter against) to adopt the 2025-2029 Strategic Plan.

Item 12.05 The city commission voted 4-0 (Porter recused herself) to approve a request for the reimbursement of $560 in attorney fees related to an ethics complaint filed against City Commissioner Jack Porter.

The agenda item noted that Commissioner Porter is entitled to payment/reimbursement of her attorney’s fees and costs because she successfully defended and prevailed against the ethics complaint. This complaint arose out of or in connection with her employment with the City while acting in her official capacity as City Commissioner. The fees and costs incurred were reasonable. 

Item 12.06 The city commission voted 5-0 to approve the Brookridge Subdivision Plat. There is no new infrastructure created with this plat, thus there are no new recurring annual maintenance costs associated with this plat.