The 7-0 vote on Sept. 15 went further than the recommendation from county staff, which had proposed delaying implementation while courts consider a constitutional challenge involving automated traffic enforcement. Commissioners instead chose not to proceed with the school-zone speed detection system at this time, regardless of the eventual outcome of the pending litigation.

The decision represents a significant reversal from October 2025, when commissioners voted 6-1 to move forward with the program. Commissioner Bill Proctor cast the lone dissenting vote at the time. The county subsequently solicited proposals and selected RedSpeed Florida as its highest-ranked vendor.

The proposed county program was similar to the automated enforcement system already operating within the City of Tallahassee.

Under Florida law, local governments may use automated speed-detection systems in school zones. The systems can photograph or record vehicles exceeding applicable speed limits, with state law establishing requirements for signage, public notification and a warning period before enforcement begins.

However, legal questions surrounding automated traffic enforcement prompted county staff to recommend a delay.

A Broward County judge ruled earlier this year that a red-light-camera enforcement process was unconstitutional because it improperly shifted the burden of proof to vehicle owners. Although that case did not directly involve school-zone speed cameras, county officials noted similarities between the enforcement systems. The ruling is under review by the Fourth District Court of Appeal.

Other Florida counties have also reconsidered automated enforcement programs following the ruling. Okaloosa County moved to prohibit red-light and school-zone speed cameras, while Palm Beach County commissioners rejected a proposal involving school-zone cameras.

During Tuesday’s discussion, commissioners raised broader concerns about whether motorists understand how automated school-zone enforcement works and whether the process provides adequate due-process protections.

Commission Chairman Christian Caban criticized the automated enforcement process following the vote, saying motorists can be placed in the position of having to challenge an automatically generated violation. He said he supported the commission’s decision not to accept the vendor bids.

The county’s action comes as Tallahassee’s existing school-zone camera program has generated substantial enforcement activity. According to previously reported figures, the city program had produced more than 50,000 notices of violation as of June. With violations carrying a $100 penalty, the citations represented as much as $5 million in potential collections. The city operates 48 cameras along 27 roadways covering 20 school zones.

Tuesday’s vote does not affect Tallahassee’s program because the city and county operate under separate jurisdictions.

The school-zone decision came during the same meeting in which commissioners unanimously moved against automated license plate readers on county property and rights-of-way. The two votes involved different technologies — school-zone cameras are designed to document speeding violations, while automated license plate readers collect plate information for law-enforcement purposes — but commissioners raised similar concerns about automated surveillance, due process and public trust.

The Leon County Commission will receive an update on the effort at its September 15 meeting. County staff reports Leon County has completed the pre-qualification phase for the 2029 championships and has been approved by World Athletics to submit a formal bid.

The effort follows Tallahassee-Leon County’s successful hosting of the 2026 World Athletics Cross Country Championships on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Apalachee Regional Park. The one-day competition marked the first time the championships had been held in the United States since Boston hosted the event in 1992.

According to the county, the January event generated an estimated $6.09 million in local tourism economic impact and drew 15,262 attendees, including 10,900 visitors from outside Leon County. Fifty-seven percent of those visitors were making their first trip to Leon County.

County officials also point to the international exposure generated by the championships. The event was broadcast in 70 countries and federations and generated approximately 950 articles and stories worldwide. Nielsen calculated the event’s global impact at $24.5 million, which the county says was the highest recorded for a World Athletics Cross Country Championships.

The success has prompted discussions about a larger role for Leon County.

On August 5, County Chairman Christian Caban, County Administrator Vincent Long and county staff met with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and CEO Jon Ridgeon in Eugene, Oregon. The discussions included Leon County’s 2029 bid and the possibility of a long-term hosting arrangement.

According to the agenda item, World Athletics is considering enhancements to the championships beyond 2030 and discussed using Leon County as a potential pilot location for a new hosting model.

Under such an arrangement, Leon County could assume responsibility for transportation, logistics, volunteers, venue operations, athlete experience and community engagement, while World Athletics would retain responsibility for governance and competition standards.

In the meantime, the county faces several deadlines in its pursuit of the 2029 championships. The initial bid application is due October 23, 2026, followed by a final application on January 29, 2027. World Athletics is expected to select the 2029 host in March 2027.

County staff is developing the bid package, including plans for a new course at Apalachee Regional Park, accommodations, transportation, finances, event operations and marketing.

The agenda item has no immediate fiscal impact. If Leon County wins the 2029 championships, staff would return to commissioners with proposed hosting costs.

Since 2013, Apalachee Regional Park has hosted more than 75 local, state, regional and national championships and meets, attracted more than 80,000 athletes and runners, and generated more than $84 million in direct spending, according to county estimates.

The proposal originated with County Commission Chairman Christian Caban, who raised the issue in June and called for a temporary pause while county officials study the potential impacts of large-scale data centers on electricity and water supplies, utility rates, the environment and surrounding communities.

The proposed ordinance would temporarily halt the acceptance, review and approval of certain development applications involving large-load facilities in unincorporated Leon County. The pause would apply to development permits, development orders, rezonings and site plans while county officials develop regulations addressing the potential impacts of such facilities.

County commissioners directed staff in July to pursue the moratorium following the passage of Senate Bill 484, which took effect July 1. The new state law highlights planning, infrastructure and compatibility issues associated with facilities that have substantial electric or other utility demands.

According to the county, neither the Leon County Development Code nor the Tallahassee-Leon County 2050 Comprehensive Plan currently contains specific provisions addressing large-load customers or data centers. County staff says the moratorium would provide time to study potential impacts and develop amendments before applications are received.

The proposed moratorium is not a permanent prohibition. County staff reports there are currently no approved or pending applications for large-scale data centers in unincorporated Leon County.

Among the issues expected to be evaluated are impacts on economic development and tax revenue, land and water resources, energy consumption and utility rates, and public health and safety. A state-required independent study addressing many of the same issues is due by July 1, 2027.

The county proposal also comes amid questions about the ability of the area’s existing electric infrastructure to accommodate a large data center. During a June City Commission meeting, then-City Manager Reese Goad said neither the Comprehensive Plan nor city code permitted large-scale data centers and that additional electric-generating capacity would be needed to accommodate such a facility.

The moratorium would apply only to unincorporated Leon County and would not be countywide.

County staff recommends commissioners conduct the first hearing and schedule the second and final public hearing for Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. The Sept. 15 hearing is required before the ordinance can be adopted.

The suspension is effective immediately and will remain in place pending additional oversight, guidance or regulation from law enforcement accrediting organizations, according to a release from LCSO.

McNeil’s decision follows his request to two law enforcement accreditation organizations — the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies — to develop standards governing agencies that use license plate recognition technology.

Specifically, McNeil is asking the organizations to require law enforcement agencies to regularly audit the use of license plate recognition systems and publicly report the findings of those audits.

The distinction between license plate recognition technology generally and Flock cameras is significant. Flock Safety is one provider of automated license plate reader technology, but law enforcement agencies can access or operate other systems capable of capturing and searching vehicle license plate information.

The broader suspension means LCSO is stepping away from the technology itself pending additional safeguards rather than simply discontinuing its use of a particular vendor or camera network.

“License plate recognition technology has proven to be a valuable law enforcement tool, helping investigators solve crimes, locate missing and endangered persons, recover stolen vehicles and identify suspects who might otherwise be difficult to find,” McNeil said.

However, McNeil said those benefits must be weighed against the need for accountability over how the systems are used.

“However, the value of this technology does not eliminate our responsibility to ensure it is used appropriately and with strong safeguards in place,” McNeil said.

The use of automated license plate readers has drawn increasing scrutiny over privacy, data retention, information sharing and the ability of law enforcement agencies to search large databases containing records of vehicle movements.

McNeil said LCSO will wait for stronger oversight measures before resuming use of the technology.

“Until additional oversight and accountability measures are established, I believe suspending our use of this technology is the responsible course of action,” McNeil said. “Public safety and public trust must go hand in hand.”

LCSO said it will continue working with accreditation organizations and monitoring the development of standards and guidance governing the use, auditing and oversight of license plate recognition technology.

The Tallahassee Democrat, which first reported the problems Thursday, reported that the issues began following an Aug. 18 upgrade to the county’s jail management software. The system records bookings at the Leon County Detention Facility and feeds information into the Justice Information System used by courts, prosecutors and law enforcement.

State Attorney Jack Campbell described the problems as “catastrophic,” telling the Democrat that inaccurate information has included nonexistent or “ghost” cases and records incorrectly indicating that individuals should remain incarcerated. The errors raise concerns about both wrongful detention and the possibility that inaccurate records could result in someone being released when they should remain jailed.

The problems also prompted Chief Circuit Judge Frank Allman to move first-appearance hearings from electronic proceedings to in-person hearings at the courthouse. Some courthouse offices have reverted to paper systems, while inmate visitation at the detention facility was temporarily disrupted.

County Administrator Vince Long told county commissioners in an Aug. 27 email that the county experienced “significant complications” following the software upgrade. County officials now plan to return to the previous jail management system this weekend, which Long called the fastest and lowest-risk option for restoring accurate records.

Leon County commissioners approved an agreement with Chenosa Systems Corporation in 2023 to replace the county’s aging jail management system. Even after the previous system is restored, county officials will face the task of identifying and correcting records affected by the failed upgrade.

The new information from ICE, first reported locally by WCTV, provides additional details about the immigration history of Luis Eduardo Olla-Hernandez, who was arrested over the weekend following a homicide investigation in southwest Leon County.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office said Olla-Hernandez was arrested and charged with first-degree murder following a homicide Saturday. Authorities have released few details about the circumstances surrounding the death.

Olla-Hernandez was booked into the Leon County Detention Facility Sunday and ordered held without bond during his first court appearance Monday.

ICE Detainer

Court records obtained by Tallahassee Reports include a Department of Homeland Security immigration detainer issued Aug. 23.

The document identifies Olla-Hernandez as a citizen of El Salvador and states that DHS determined there was probable cause to believe he is removable from the United States.

The detainer cites pending removal proceedings, biometric confirmation of his identity, a check of federal databases and statements Olla-Hernandez made to immigration authorities and/or other evidence as bases for that determination.

A separate DHS document directs the Leon County Jail to detain Olla-Hernandez and states: “Hold for ICE.”

ICE provided additional information about Olla-Hernandez to WCTV on Monday.

An ICE spokesperson told the television station that Olla-Hernandez illegally entered the United States near Hidalgo, Texas, and that an immigration judge ordered him removed in 2024.

ICE also told WCTV that Olla-Hernandez has been identified as a suspected member of Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, which the federal government designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2025.

The ICE detainer includes checked boxes indicating Olla-Hernandez is subject to detention provisions of the Laken Riley Act and is considered a member of a designated foreign terrorist organization and/or a national security, border security or public safety risk.

Previous Leon County Encounter

Court records reviewed by Tallahassee Reports show Olla-Hernandez had an encounter with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in January 2024, the same year ICE says an immigration judge ordered him removed.

According to an LCSO probable-cause affidavit, a deputy stopped Olla-Hernandez on Jan. 16, 2024, near West Tennessee Street and Aenon Church Road because a taillight was out.

When the deputy asked Olla-Hernandez for his driver’s license, Olla-Hernandez instead presented an El Salvador passport. According to the affidavit, Olla-Hernandez told the deputy that the passport gave him legal grounds to drive the vehicle.

The deputy ran Olla-Hernandez through law-enforcement databases and discovered that he had a Florida driver’s license that had been suspended on Oct. 16, 2023.

According to the affidavit, Olla-Hernandez acknowledged that he knew his license was suspended and said he was driving because he did not have anyone else to drive him.

The deputy issued Olla-Hernandez a criminal citation rather than booking him into jail.

The traffic case was eventually amended to operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. Court records show Olla-Hernandez pleaded no contest in December 2024, with adjudication withheld.

The January 2024 encounter is noteworthy because the deputy knew Olla-Hernandez was an El Salvador citizen and ran his information through law-enforcement databases. However, the probable-cause affidavit contains no indication that his immigration status was investigated or that federal immigration authorities were contacted.

The record also does not establish whether Olla-Hernandez had already been ordered removed at the time of the traffic stop.

Questions About 2024 Removal Order

The timing of the immigration proceedings remains an important unanswered question.

ICE told WCTV that an immigration judge ordered Olla-Hernandez removed in 2024, but the agency did not provide the date of the order in the information reported by WCTV.

If the removal order occurred before the Jan. 16 traffic stop, Olla-Hernandez would have encountered LCSO after a judge had ordered him removed. If the order occurred later, the immigration information available to the deputy during the traffic stop could have been substantially different.

There is another unresolved issue.

The Aug. 23, 2026 ICE detainer obtained by Tallahassee Reports checks a box stating there are “ongoing removal proceedings” involving Olla-Hernandez. The form does not check the separate box indicating that a final order of removal exists.

It is therefore unclear whether the 2024 removal order became final, was appealed, was reopened or was affected by subsequent immigration proceedings.

The January 2024 LCSO affidavit also shows Olla-Hernandez previously possessed a Florida driver’s license, although it had been suspended approximately three months before the traffic stop.

The available records do not establish what Olla-Hernandez’s immigration status was when Florida originally issued the license.

Timeline

Before October 2023: Olla-Hernandez obtains a Florida driver’s license.

Oct. 16, 2023: His Florida driver’s license is suspended, according to the LCSO affidavit.

Jan. 16, 2024: An LCSO deputy stops Olla-Hernandez in Leon County. He presents an El Salvador passport. The deputy runs his information through law-enforcement databases and issues him a criminal citation.

2024: According to ICE, an immigration judge orders Olla-Hernandez removed from the United States. The exact date and subsequent status of that order remain unclear.

Dec. 17, 2024: Olla-Hernandez resolves the Leon County driver’s-license case with a no-contest plea.

2025: The federal government designates MS-13 as a foreign terrorist organization.

Aug. 22, 2026: LCSO begins investigating a homicide in southwest Leon County.

Aug. 23, 2026: Olla-Hernandez is booked on a first-degree murder charge. DHS issues an immigration detainer and an order directing Leon County to hold him for ICE.

Aug. 24, 2026: Olla-Hernandez appears in court and is ordered held without bond.

The ICE detainer does not affect Olla-Hernandez’s immediate custody status because he is already being held without bond on the murder charge.

The homicide investigation remains active and ongoing.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the fatal crash, which occurred at approximately 10:42 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, near the intersection of West Pensacola Street and Ausley Road.

According to information released by FHP, a marked LCSO Chevrolet Tahoe struck a female pedestrian. Emergency personnel transported the woman to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, where she later died from her injuries. Her identity had not been publicly released as of the weekend.

LCSO identified the driver of the agency vehicle as a reserve deputy. Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Shonda Knight told media outlets that reserve deputies are certified law enforcement officers who are authorized to operate agency vehicles and typically work assignments such as special events and traffic control.

LCSO deferred questions about the circumstances of the fatal crash to FHP, which is leading the investigation.

“That crash is a tragic incident, and our thoughts are with the victim’s family during this difficult time,” an LCSO spokesperson told WCTV.

Authorities have not publicly announced whether the reserve deputy was responding to a call or working a particular assignment at the time of the crash. FHP also had not announced a determination regarding fault or released details explaining how the collision occurred.

Less than 24 hours later, another LCSO deputy was involved in a separate two-vehicle crash in northwest Tallahassee.

That crash occurred shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday at Capital Circle Northwest and the Interstate 10 westbound off-ramp, according to LCSO.

The deputy suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The driver and passenger in the other vehicle were also transported to a hospital with minor injuries.

LCSO told WTXL that the Saturday crash remained under investigation and that no determination of fault had been made.

The two incidents put two Sheriff’s Office vehicles in crashes within approximately a 21-hour period, with one resulting in a death and the other producing three reported injuries.

The fatal pedestrian collision remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, while authorities have not yet released additional information about what caused either crash.

The Leon County Commission voted 5-2 Monday to place the proposed charter amendment on the Nov. 3 general-election ballot.

The measure would establish a recurring “Community Impact Assessment” process requiring public reporting and County Commission review and response regarding adverse community conditions related to historic public policies or governmental practices.

The proposal has changed significantly since it was first considered earlier this year.

An earlier version sought to address persistent disparities associated with historic public policies and included discussion of slavery, segregation and racial discrimination. That proposal failed in February when the Leon County Citizen Charter Review Committee deadlocked 9-9.

County officials also raised legal and financial concerns as state and federal governments moved to restrict diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

County staff previously warned that an improperly structured program could jeopardize millions of dollars in federal funding, including a $16.8 million federal grant for safety improvements along North Monroe Street.

Florida lawmakers also approved SB 1134, which restricts local governments from funding, promoting or taking official action related to DEI. The law, signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

In April, county commissioners directed staff to develop a different approach that would focus on geographic areas rather than race, gender, ethnicity or another protected class and would comply with state and federal law.

The Commission voted 4-2 in May to return the issue to the Charter Review Committee. On May 28, the committee approved the revised proposal 14-3.

Bruce Strouble Jr., a Charter Review Committee member and chairman of Tallahassee ALERT, has been a leading advocate for the amendment. Strouble has argued that the revised proposal is not a reparations program and instead creates a process for determining whether previous government decisions continue to affect particular areas of the county.

The revised amendment contains no protected-class eligibility requirements and does not establish a restoration fund or require the Commission to spend money on particular communities.

Critics, however, continue to question both the need for the amendment and its underlying purpose.

Commissioner Brian Welch, who has opposed the proposal, said Monday that he believes it is “intellectually dishonest” to contend that the effort is not about reparations.

County staff previously noted another concern: the County Commission already possesses broad authority to study community conditions and direct resources toward underserved areas without changing the charter. Staff has also noted that no other Florida county charter contains similar language addressing harmful historic public policies.

Commissioner Carolyn Cummings expressed reservations about placing what could be considered a policy matter in the county’s governing document but said Monday that allowing citizens to participate in the process and supporting local control outweighed those concerns.

The final decision will now rest with Leon County voters in November.

The action, approved during the board’s July 14 meeting, extends beyond the one-year pause initially proposed by Commission Chair Christian Caban last month. The temporary moratorium halts the processing of development applications for qualifying large-scale data centers while the county evaluates whether changes to its Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code are needed.

Commissioners said the additional time will allow the county to examine issues including electricity demand, water consumption, land-use compatibility, environmental impacts and infrastructure needs associated with large-scale data centers, which have become increasingly common as artificial intelligence and cloud computing drive demand for computing capacity.

The vote follows the commission’s June direction to prepare a moratorium ordinance. Similar temporary moratoriums have been adopted or considered by several Florida communities as local governments weigh the facilities’ economic benefits against their significant utility and infrastructure demands.

The grant, administered through the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, would have provided funding for Flock camera systems in Wakulla, Jefferson, Liberty and Taylor counties. Although the cameras were intended for installation outside Leon County, the proposal generated significant public opposition from residents who urged commissioners not to facilitate the technology’s expansion. Commissioners ultimately voted to remove the Flock funding from a larger homeland security grant package while approving the remaining grant requests.

Flock Safety’s automated license plate readers capture images of license plates and use artificial intelligence to identify a vehicle’s make, model, color, body style and other distinguishing features. Law enforcement agencies use the systems to investigate crimes, locate stolen vehicles and receive alerts when vehicles connected to criminal investigations are detected. Supporters say the technology has become an effective investigative tool, while critics argue it creates an expansive surveillance network capable of tracking the movements of law-abiding citizens.

Several residents spoke against the proposal during the commission meeting, raising concerns about privacy, civil liberties and the security of data collected by the camera network. Speakers questioned whether the benefits of the technology outweighed the risks associated with expanding automated surveillance and storing vehicle location data.

Commissioners echoed many of those concerns. Commissioner Christian Caban said he supports law enforcement but opposes the widespread deployment of automated license plate readers, describing the systems as an invasion of privacy. Other commissioners acknowledged the technology’s value in solving crimes but said they were uncomfortable with Leon County helping expand its use into neighboring jurisdictions.

The local debate reflects a broader national conversation over the balance between public safety and personal privacy. According to Flock Safety, its camera network is used by thousands of law enforcement agencies and communities across nearly every state to recover stolen vehicles, locate missing persons and assist criminal investigations. At the same time, organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union have warned that widespread deployment of automated license plate readers can enable mass surveillance and raise concerns about data retention, access and misuse. Recent reviews of Flock camera programs in cities including Los Angeles have highlighted those same issues as agencies reconsider the technology’s privacy implications.

In addition to rejecting the grant, commissioners directed county staff to return in September with an analysis of whether Leon County has the legal authority to regulate, prohibit or require the removal of Flock cameras within the county. The review is expected to examine the county’s legal options as communities across Florida and the nation continue to debate the role of automated surveillance technology.

County officials said a study found Leon County is more reliant on the funds from property taxes than a typical Florida county, with property tax revenue making up about 60% of the county’s budget. They also said there is no other revenue source that can replace the funds generated by property taxes.

Documents prepared for the workshop reviewed the FY 2027 Preliminary Budget, which totals $420.8 million — a 4.8% increase over the current fiscal year budget. County officials described the upcoming budget year as a transition period designed to prepare for potential structural changes if voters approve a proposed constitutional amendment affecting property taxes.

The proposed amendment, approved by the Florida Legislature for the November ballot, would increase the homestead exemption and direct the Legislature to establish procedures to gradually eliminate homestead property taxes. It would also reduce the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property from 10% to 5%. County staff estimate the measure could reduce Leon County’s property tax revenue by approximately $71 million, or 30%, during the first two years of implementation.

County leaders discussed cost saving measures to prepare for possible cuts like implementing a hiring freeze for non-essential positions and a voluntary separation program, similar to the one offered by the City of Tallahassee.

“Given the magnitude of the projected property tax reductions, I’m proposing that the county implement immediate stop-gap measures in the current fiscal year to the best position the county for the difficult decisions to be made in the coming months,” Leon County Administrator Vince Long said. “This includes a hiring freeze for all nonessential personnel, a freeze on nonessential travel and training not required to maintain certifications and licenses, a freeze on discretionary community sponsorships, not including those line items approved in March in your budget.”

Long said that these measures are designed to mitigate layoffs to the greatest extent possible by leaving vacant positions unfilled and to realize cost savings that can be used to delay service level reductions.

With commission approval, the hiring, travel and training freezes will extend to the constitutional offices, such as the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Leon County Clerk of Courts.

Amid all the cost saving discussion, commissioners voted 4-3 in favor or a 4% raise for county employees. This will cost the county an additional $800,000, but commissioners in support said this may be the last time they’re able to give raises for a while. Those against said they can’t support spending more on salaries when the potential for property tax revenue to be cut is on the table.

“We’re lucky to have a gap year to prepare for what we have to deal with next year. But as we make our decisions today, let’s make our decisions today understanding what we’re going to have to deal with a year from now, and understanding the position that Leon County – not just the commissioners and not just the constitutionals – but Leon County as a whole is going to be in when we have to deal with those cost-savings,” Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox said.

The county may also enact a voluntary separation program for employees. It would be the second local government to institute that form of cutback.

Specific details related to the issues discussed will be provided at another workshop in July.

Under a plan given initial approval by the commission Tuesday with a 6-1 vote (Proctor against), COCA will continue to administer arts and cultural grants funded by the county, but how those dollars are doled out will be determined by the Leon commissioners every year during the budgeting process.

The move comes as the commission recently considered giving control of the entire grant process to the county’s tourist development arm. Commissioners describe the new approach as a “compromise” between the sole administrator model (current), where COCA decided all grant distributions and the in-house model, which would have placed COCA under the County’s Division of Tourism, potentially saving $213,000 but reducing COCA’s independence.

“When I get in situations like this. This is exactly where I end up. Everybody gives a little bit, we get a compromise, we can move forward, but nobody’s hurt too bad to where it’s not working as for our community,” Leon County Commissioner Nick Maddox said.

The county says COCA’s agency status and funding level are unchanged.

Supporters say the model brings consistency similar to other county partnerships (e.g., Community Human Service Partnership) and improves stewardship of taxpayer dollars. However, COCA Executive Director Kathleen Spehar has expressed worries about the impact on drawing down National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, though the county says COCA will still be eligible WTXL ABC 27.

The ordinance to implement the change must pass with at least 5/7 votes after a public hearing.

The Council on Culture & Arts is a non-profit organization serving as the umbrella agency for arts and culture in Florida’s capital area, including Leon County Tallahassee Arts Guide. It was established in 1985 to provide a centralized voice and support system for the region’s arts and cultural sector.

COCA is not a government entity but works closely with the City of Tallahassee, Leon County, the state, and local school districts as a cultural industry partner. The group currently oversees $2 million in grant programs anually to promote and support the arts, ensure equitable access to creative opportunities, and advocate for the cultural sector’s economic and social value.