LOCAL GOVERNMENT UPDATES – Oct. 27
As part of your Chamber Business Advocacy Committee’s goal of monitoring, informing, communicating and advocating on your behalf regarding important issues impacting local businesses, listed below are highlights for the upcoming local government meetings during the weeks of October 27.
As with all City & County Commission meetings, Chamber staff will be in attendance in support of your business and joining with our partners toward enhancing our region’s economic climate. Below you will find a brief description of those issues that you may find of special interest.
Leon County Commission Meeting (October 28)
The next Leon County Commission regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28 at 3 p.m. in the Commission Chambers of the Leon County Courthouse. A series of issues presented on the agenda appear of particular interest to the business community. Additional information regarding all County agenda issues (such as those highlighted below) can be found in the full County agenda HERE.
With a relatively brief agenda, a handful of items on the docket appear of interest to the business community, including:
- Agenda Item 9 presents an annual status report/review regarding those “bubble” items raised by each commissioner over the course of the past year and any action taken upon each measure. This item uniquely presents a “quick glance” to track the ad hoc priorities raised by commissioners during the latest annual reporting cycle as well as what county action has been taken on each point over time.
- Agenda Item 16 presents a reorganization plan for senior county staff. With an eye toward talent retention, performance maximization and service level continuity, this item presents the first significant organizational adjustment during the past 3+ years of the current county administration and is based upon years of consistent performance by senior and emerging staff members. In summary, this item addresses directly how to instill best staffing practices of funneling diverse, dynamic talent up from within the public organization over time and systematically. Please take a moment to get to know (even better) the familiar faces that constitute renewed and reorganized leadership within county government.
- Agenda Item 19 presents a funding opportunity to support a new Whole Child Leon program initiative in the South City area. Building upon an increased community focus during the past few years by both the City and County governments (regarding quality of life, public safety, education, and economic development metrics in the South City), this item presents a new program with funding options to address improved child wellness outcomes in an area of the community targeted for further improvement and focus.
The City Commission is relatively calm this week with only a scheduled Target Issue Committee meeting for Economic Development on the official city calendar. That committee meeting, which is led by Mayor John Marks and includes Commissioner (and now Mayor-Elect) Andrew Gillum, is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, October 29 from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in the Tallahassee Room (2nd Floor) of City Hall. At the time of this writing, a detailed agenda has yet to be released. However, it is anticipated that Committee activities may include an expression of gratitude to Mayor Marks at the conclusion of his 12 years in service as Mayor and, related to the EDTI Committee work program, for his work toward improving the economic vitality within the Capital City during his tenure.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions you may have about this content and/or the Chamber’s comprehensive set of activities to Monitor, Inform, Engage and Advocate on behalf of the Greater Tallahassee business community through the Chamber’s Business Advocacy Committee.
On behalf of your Business Advocacy Committee,
Benjamin H. Pingree, MPA
Vice President, Business Retention/Expansion & Public Policy
Seeking to monitor, inform, communicate and engage for the benefit of our members, businesses and economic good.
