On January 18th, the Tallahassee City Commissioner held the City’s Annual Retreat. The purpose of the annual retreat is to provide an opportunity to review the progress that has been made towards Tallahassee’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. Staff will also give updates to the elected officials on two initiatives—the Southside Action Plan and the Clean Energy Plan.
2020-2024 Strategic Plan
The retreat agenda reports that the City continues to implement proactive and preventative solutions for the “betterment of our community.” Some of the measures taken include, increased affordable housing, saving utility customers significant money on energy costs and attracting new jobs.
In 2022, Tallahassee housed 250 households experiencing homelessness. Currently, the City has 2,391 affordable housing units either completed, under construction, in permitting or in the planning stage. Out of the 2,391 housing units, 110 will be used for extremely low-income households.
Additionally, the City took proactive action through price hedging agreements for natural gas, saving utility customers $75 million. The City’s total workforce has increased by 5,700 from attracting businesses to Tallahassee, such as Amazon and Burrell Aviation.
Southside Action Plan
The City is has included the Southside Action Plan as a top priority at the retreat to reevaluate existing planning and development on the Southside. On April 13th 2021, the City and County Commissions approved a three-phased approach. Phase I included a robust engagement with the community as reported to the Commission in September. At the Retreat, staff will present an update on Phase 2 –feedback on the draft plan, as well as an implementation strategy for Phase 3.
Clean Energy Plan
The City reviewed its efforts to develop a Clean Energy Plan (CEP) to meet the City’s goal of having 100% net clean renewable energy across the entire community by 2050. The commissioners received an update on the status of the clean energy planning process and preliminary findings from the comprehensive study of the community’s electric, gas and transportation needs.
Tallahassee City Commission Holds Annual Retreat added by Tristyn Leigh on
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When this states that the city has 2,391 affordable housing units completed or under construction, does the city own this property? Or does it mean a builder in Tally is building so there will be 2,391 units that are privately owned?
As Skeptic has so keenly noted, these “retreats” are indeed subject to Government in the Sunshine – to include public notification of the date, time, and location.. as well as open to the public and offering the opportunity for public comment pursuant to the standard meeting guidelines. Of course the city attorneys may/will play the “letter of the law versus spirit of the law” game… and the location will be adroitly chosen accordingly of course.
Southside $$$ and ‘clean’ energy $$$. Somebody’s getting their checking account loaded up because neither of these things produce anything.
@ A Skeptic: That is what I am saying….. WHY waste money on a “Retreat” when they can do all of it at their regular Meetings at City Hall.
I beleive the ‘retreat’ is at the luxury downtown hotel at Cascades. As far as im concerned they can just go home after and not return.
@David — this is, essentially, a public meeting. It should be open to all citizens of Tallahassee, and by extension all citizens period. Tallahassee residents should not be inconvenienced or subject to undue expense to attend this meeting. As such the meeting venue should be local, arguably within the city limits.
Where will they hold this Annual Retreat? Why do they need to go on these Retreats to talk about City Stuff? Why can’t the Staff just give the Up Dates at the next Meeting or Workshop?
I am glad the Commission has finally located a minority business to do the Southside buildout. Its important to hire a minority owned business for the correct optics on the Southside. That has been the main obstical over these many years holding back any funding being allocated to the Southside.
Our Commission has a long and lucrative relationship with several trusted white owned contractors willing to play along to get along (in respect to the untraceable campagin contrabutions). Some former local white University football players and one elite white local connected political family owned construction business who’s lovely daughter almost spanked Mayor Daily recently.
At last a minority owned construction company has been located that meets the Comission’s strict standard to be approved for the Southside work. Yeah “standard” not “standards” I refer you back to the untraceable campaign contributions which go hand in hand with the basic trust of the comission that the minority business owner wont get mad at them and turn on them by ratting our Commission out to the FBI over those “contributions”.
Rejoice Southside residents, we know it’s been a minute, but your elected Nannies have finally determined to toss a bone your way. No not any fancy rebuilt plantation era Black school houses those are already on the Northside. But its OK for you folks to drive up there once and a while to enjoy them. Even better y’all got some rebuilt projects coming your way and please let’s all get onboard with calling them the politically correct term “Affordable Housing”. From now on dont let Will Smith’s wife’s name – whoops – we mean dont let the word “Projects” in your mouth. The “Oscars” comedy is free I hope you got a chuckle.
Will Biro be invited to give an update on the status of citywide violent crime… and who’s to blame? I’d like to see what doll heads she’s hanging from her ears of late.
How about an update on the $5-million boondoggle designed to keep those pesky guns from sneaking out of their owners homes at night and shooting the place up on their own.
They should have a “retreat” at the McDonald’s at the corner of Orange and Monroe, on a Saturday night, with no personal security, and no cell phones to call for help.
Let them taste the full force of what the southside is and then let them tell us how plants and fancy street lights will magically change the area.
Two excellent comments!
Here is my view –
#1 Tallahassee is spinning its wheels until a new city manager is brought in through a nationwide search. The present city manager is a nice person who did well in his previous position with the city, but he is compromised not because of himself because of the corruption that he is unable to efficiently have any control over since he is a – go-along get along – that’s exactly why they put him in this position. The most important thing for the city to do would be to do a nationwide search for a city manager. I recommend the present city manager be put back into his previous position, utilities.
#2. The mayor has no interest in Tallahassee he only has an interest in using his position as a 24/7 publicity center as you mark my words he has his eye on running for Governor. The Republicans made a big mistake and the local Republican Party misused their position by helping him. The developers the mayor is associated with facilitate this 24/7 campaign so shame on them. Even media entities go along because of the funds they receive to throw fair and balance to the wind and become the mayor’s PR rep. Thankfully this voters statewide are different from the Tallahassee voter base.
#3. Why has one only one media outlet reported on the mayor’s new communications director? The mayor is only interested in press releases for self promotion. The city manager is not doing his job when he looks the other way at the mayor’s publicity stunts and ad nauseum self-promotion. Using $27 million of taxpayers money to etch his way into the big donor arena was a crime.
#4. And yet crime is not on the agenda, again. Amazon is having problems and Burrell Aviation has ties to China.
#5. The mayor will move this dog and pony show down to Sandestin for the Buffalo Pool Party ridiculousness in August.
Oh boy here they go again. Its not clear at this time if they will return to their beloved sex, drugs, and booze fueled Ameila Island throwdown getdown traditional retreat location. Perhaps this time a more expensive woke location such as Disney in Orlando.
Just my opinion/suggestion but I hope our City Nannies consider contacting local wokester Rocky Hanna to see if they can pay an extremly large rental fee to reserve his building out on West Pensacole Street for their annual retreat. Our Nannies will still be able to have Rocky overcharge the City and funnel the substantial overcharge back to our Nannies as untraceable campaign contributions. I hope our Nannies will consider my cost savings suggestion. They will still get the same campaign contributions kicked back just at a lower total retreat cost burden to the sheeple voters…err…I mean the local Tallahassee/Leon citizens which our beloved Nannies serve.
The City exemplifies and sets the Gold Metal Standard for throwing money at the problem with no solid returns. WTF! The City is buying advertising on PBS. City voters better wake up before the government dependant, under-priviled youth, from the southside, getting more in benefits than you earn commites a violent crime against your family.