Leon County Commission Meeting Briefs: April 8, 2025

Below are the meeting briefs from the Leon County Commission meeting held on April 8, 2025.

The Board approved Consent Items 1-12.

General Business

Item 13: The Board voted 7-0 to accept the update on recent enhancements to the County’s competitive solicitation process. The enhancements made to the County’s competitive solicitation process are anticipated to improve efficiency, increase responsiveness, and foster a more accessible and streamlined experience for bidders by removing redundant forms and incorporating digital confirmations. With the implementation of these enhancements, the County expects to further increase responsiveness and maintain a low rate of non-responsive bids.

Item 14: The Board voted 7-0 to direct staff to prepare a draft ordinance to implement a school zone automated speed enforcement program. Staff noted the recent adoption of a similar program by the Tallahassee City Commission. Preliminary estimates find the program would generate approximately $275,000 in annual collections from speeding violations with 60%, or $165,000, to be retained by the County to fund the program and other public safety initiatives.  The remaining 40% would be disbursed in accordance with Florida Statutes.

Item 15: The Board voted 6 – 0 with Commissioner Minor abstaining from the vote to appoint two citizens, Eddie Gonzalez Loumiet and Reshaye Greenlee, to the At-Large seats on the Tallahassee-Leon County Minority, Women, and Small Business Enterprise Citizen Advisory Committee for two-year terms ending April 30, 2027.

The Board voted 7-0 to appoint two citizens, Isabella Egloff and Brittany Christie, to the At-Large seats on the Tallahassee Sports Council for three-year terms ending April 30, 2028; and to waive Board Policy No. 03-15, Section 4(e) regarding term limits, and appoint Mr. Gregory Cowan to the Value Adjustment Board for a two-year term ending April 30, 2027.

Public Hearings

Item 16: The Board voted 7-0 to hold the First and Only Public Hearing to Consider Adopting a Resolution that Includes an Inventory List of Properties Appropriate for Affordable Housing. The action added six parcels to the inventory; two County-owned parcels received by escheatment and four parcels owned by dependent special districts.

Item 17: The Board voted 7-0 to hold the Second and Final Public Hearing on the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Opportunity. The action authorized staff to submit a Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Small Cities Community Block Grant in the amount of $7.153 million for improvements to the Fort Braden Community Center.

Item 18: The Board voted 6-1 to hold the First and Only Public Hearing to Consider an Ordinance regarding the Safe Use of Public Rights-of-Way. The adopted Ordinance -amended the original proposal by a motion by Commissioner Maddox  – prohibits the occupation of medians smaller than 6 feet wide and removed the criminal penalty and replaced it with a civil penalty, and reduced the fine amount from $500 to $250.