PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), commonly known as 'forever chemicals,' are man-made compounds found in many consumer products that can contaminate water systems. The City of Tallahassee conducted comprehensive testing of its wastewater treatment plant and public water supply, finding that PFAS levels in treated wastewater and public drinking water were well below federal and state standards. The highest contamination source identified was landfill leachate (820 parts per trillion for PFOA), not the wastewater spray fields. The city is working with the Florida Department of Health to address elevated PFAS levels in private wells in Woodville, providing free testing and filter systems for affected residents.
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City Commission Meeting - May 13, 2026Added:
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Ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to call this meeting of Tallahassee City Commission to order. We have a regularly scheduled meeting at 3:00 followed by a public hearing at 6:00 and we will get straight to the business at hand. It is my honor and privilege to introduce the Elder Derek D. McGee Senior of Bible Based Church who will be providing the invocation. Elder, it's great to see you. Ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the invocation.
Let us pray. Oh Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth.
So on days like these that we are grateful that this day you have made and we shall rejoice and be glad in it. We pray now for this commission meeting. We pray for these commissioners, for our mayor. We pray for the business at hand.
Father, I ask that you would give them wisdom, knowledge, understanding that you would increase their discernment. I also pray that you would allow your spirit to reign in this place. I pray that whatever is discussed, whatever is handled, that the people of this city would be always on the mind of the decision makers. I thank you for who you are. I thank you for even in this moment. Thank you that the the flower fades, the grass withers, but you and your word stand forever. And so we ask now that you would move freely in this place. Some tough things have to be discussed today. Some tough decisions have to be made, but you are great and you are greatly to be praised. And so I ask that you would cover each of these leaders, cover their families. Pray that you would help them, oh God. Give them what they need to be able to make the decisions that are necessary. I ask for those in this audience attendance that you would also be with them. And we ask, oh God, that Tallahassee will be better as a result of not only the conversation, but the decisions that are made. We thank you because you are you are great and you are greatly to be praised. And so again, I ask that you would allow your presence to reign in this place. I pray for the decisions that shall be made that they will be bring glory to you and be for the good of the people. And now let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts, let them, Lord God, be acceptable in thy sight. For you are our strength and you are our redeemer. Yeah.
>> And we glorify you. We honor you. And we thank you. And we know that all things when they're said and done, you get the glory. We thank you now to the only wise God our father.
>> Amen.
>> Amen.
>> Amen.
>> Ladies and gentlemen, if you will join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> All right, Mr. Manager, do we have any agenda modifications today?
>> Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, you've got one update to your meeting. And it's item 8.12, a settlement of claim added by the city attorney.
>> 8.12, settlement claim. Any questions, colleagues, on the uh agenda modification?
All right. If y'all would like to join me down for three presentations.
First and foremost, I would like to invite all of my friends from Mom's Demand Action to please come join me at the podium with my colleagues for this allimportant proclamation.
looking great. Wonderful. Ladies and gentlemen, from the governing body of the Sadia Tallahassee, a proclamation.
Whereas every day more than 125 Americans are killed by gun violence and more than 200 are shot and wounded. And whereas firearms are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. And whereas cities across the nation, including Tallahassee, are working to end the senseless violence with evidence-based solutions. And whereas public safety is a community's highest priority and responsibility. And whereas in January 2013, Hadaya Pendleton was tragically shot and killed at age 15. and a group of Hadia's friends asked classmates to commemorate her life by wearing orange, a color that symbolizes safety and life. And whereas on June 5th to recognize the 29th birthday of Hadia Pendleton, people across the United States will participate in National Gun Violence Awareness Day and wear orange in tribute to Hadaya and all victims and survivors of gun violence. And whereas anyone can join the campaign by pledging to wear orange on June 5th, 2026 to help raise awareness about gun violence and honor the lives of gun violence victims and survivors. And whereas we renew our commitment to reduce gun violence and encourage responsible gun ownership to help keep our families and communities safe. Now therefore, I, John Evans Daly, by the authority vested in me as the mayor of the city of Tallahassee, do hereby recognize June 5th, 2026 as gun violence awareness day in the city of Tallahassee and urge all citizens to wear orange and support our community's efforts to prevent the tragic effects of gun violence and to honor and value human lives. Written to the record in front of each and every one of you here today, signed with my signature, John E. Dailyaly. It's my honor and privilege to present this proclamation to you.
I'd >> like to thank Mayor Daly and the commissioners for their continued support. Uh we would also like to invite all of you to our We're Orange event. It will be Friday, June 5th at 8:00 PM at the Cascades Park Pedestrian Bridge where it crosses Monroe and we will gather to light the bridge orange and honor survivors and victims of gun violence. Please come and please wear orange. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
All right.
I was just mentioning that not only will be we uh be lighting up the pedestrian bridge, but we will also be lighting up city hall in orange on June 5th and encourage everyone to please come out and join us.
uh to receive the proclamation for bike month. I'd like to ask all of our friends from the joint city county bicycling working group, our planning department staff that are with us here today. I think Marcus and Susan are here and any other members of the work group that are here. Please come and join us.
>> It's great to see y'all. Thanks for coming. Come on over. Come on over. Come on over.
Ladies and gentlemen, from the governing body of the city of Tallahassee, a proclamation. Whereas for more than a century, the bicycle has played an important role in the lives of countless Americans. And whereas today, millions nationwide engage in bicycling as an environmentally sound form of transportation, an excellent form of fitness, and quality family recreation.
And whereas local cycling organizations and independent cyclists throughout our community are promoting greater public awareness of bicycle operation and safety education in an effort to reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities. And whereas the city of Tallahassy's expansive network of on-road and off-road trails support the livelihood of our citizens while adding to their quality of life. And whereas the city continually invests in enhancing its bicycle infrastructure, including the addition of protected bike lanes along both Pensacola and Madison Street, the installation of bike racks as part of sense of place efforts in the expansion of shared use trails and greenway connections, and whereas the city of Tallahassee has been named a silver level bicycle friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists. And whereas projects of the bicycle and pedestrian master plan as well as the greenways master plan serve to enhance the safety and connectivity of bike infrastructure citywide. And whereas the bicycling working group in coordination with the Tallahassee Leyon County Planning Department provides important citizen input on cycling related projects, improvements, events, and ordinances that are considered to be of the community interest. And whereas local online resources help riders plan routes, stay safe, and connect with others in the cycling community. Now, therefore, I, John Evans Daily, by the authority vested in me as the mayor of the city of Tallahassee, do hereby recognize May as bike month in the city of Tallahassee and urge all citizens to participate by taking a bike ride to explore our beautiful community. Written to the record in front of each and every one of you here today, signed with my signature, John E. daily dated May 13, 2026. It's my honor to present you with this proclamation.
>> Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners.
I'm Dr. Kristen Gladwin, and on behalf of the city county bicycle working group, we would like to thank you for recognizing National Bike Month. Biking is an important pathway for people to experience Tallahassee. Whether it's through recreation, exercise, commuting, or just getting outside and enjoying the community. We're fortunate to have an expanding network of trails and shared use paths across the city, including the Capitol Cascades Trail, the St. Marks Trail, the Mkasuki Greenway, the Lafayette Heritage Trail Parks, and others. These spaces help connect people to parks, neighborhoods, local businesses, and also to each other.
National Bike Month helps bring attention to the importance of continued investment in safe and connected bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure for people of all ages and abilities. And it is an important element for the city's bicycle friendly designation. I also would like to thank the thank the city, local organizations, community partners, volunteers, and advocates who continue to put time and energy into improving biking trails and experience throughout Tallahassee. We hope that this month encourages everyone to get outside, explore the city, and enjoy everything our great community has to offer. Thank you again for the recognition and for your support and for recognizing National Bike Month here in the city of Tallahassee.
>> Thank you. Thank y'all so much.
All right.
Thank you so much.
It is my honor and distinct pleasure to uh invite Eric Gu and the city of Tallahassee public infrastructure team to please come forward and join us.
All right.
>> Ladies and gentlemen, these are the men and women that work hard each and every day.
>> Yes, they do.
>> Keep the wheels on the bus.
>> Round and round.
>> Keep this community humming.
>> How you doing?
>> Strong, guys.
>> We'll put you on the hot seat here.
>> Oh yeah.
>> You doing? How about you?
>> Y'all do great. Thank you. Really appreciate you.
Ladies and gentlemen, from the governing body of the city of Tallahassee, a proclamation. Whereas 2026 marks the 66th annual National Public Works Week.
And whereas this year's theme rooted in service powered by community acknowledges that the basis of service and what has propelled public works innovations that have helped communities evolve into places where people can lead lead lives of purpose and possibility.
And whereas while some work like building roads and bridges is highly visible and other public work contributions like maintaining water and sewer systems are sometimes hidden from the view, together these efforts form the foundation of thriving communities.
And whereas the city of Tallahassee public works professionals were recently honored by the statewide APWA Florida chapter with the project of the year for the Henderson Road Wall Emergency Repair and by the regional American Public Works Association Big Ben Brand with project of the year for six projects including the Henderson Road Wall Emergency Repair, Martin Luther King Tharp Street Landscaping Projects, Pulling Road sidewalk, and the wastewater pump station 182. And whereas as part of its commitment to provide bestin-class service, the city of Tallahassee has budgeted over $100 million in fiscal year 2026 for infrastructure improvements and enhancement projects, positively impacting street, sidewalks, community beautifification, parks and wastewater, water and storm water systems while securing over 5.3 million in infrastructure grant funding in 2025 alone. And whereas all city employees, including public works personnel, serve our community by preparing for and responding to severe weather events such as wintertorm Enzo and have continuously dis demonstrated their dedication and willingness to go above and beyond after emergency events by restoring services locally and subsequently traveling to other communities to help, including Mariana, Georgia after Wintertorm Fern.
And whereas we celebrate the hard work and dedication of public works professionals here in Tallahassee and throughout the world. Now therefore, I, John Evans Daily, by the authority vested in me as the mayor of the city of Tallahassee, do hereby recognize May 17 through May 23rd as National Public Works Week in Tallahassee and further encourage all citizens to recognize the contributions public works professionals make every day to our health, safety, comfort, and quality of life. read into the record in front of each and every one of you here today. Signed with my signature, John E. Dailyaly, dated May 13th, 2026. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Well, first of all, thank you, mayor, commission, appoint officials, and members of our community. Thank you for your support. uh all you do to help make the city the best it can be. A couple people I'd like to recognize um that are on the local branch board and the state chapter board. Joe Cisk is the state vice president. Uh Amy Surles is the big Ben chair, Big Ben branch chair. Uh Mr. Jared Patch is the branch treasurer. So those people help help us uh move this around and keep this going. So on behalf of the underground utilities public infrastructure department and all our public works professionals, thank you for this proclamation recognizing National Public Works Week 2026. This year's theme rooted in service powered by community reflects the important work our employees do every day behind the scenes to keep our city safe, connected, and thriving.
Public works is unseen foundation of daily life. It's the road you safely travel each morning. It's the clean water that flows when you turn on your tap. the drainage systems that protect homes and businesses during storms, sidewalks that connect neighborhoods, and the parks and public spaces that bring our community together. It's also the response during and after storm events that ensures these essential systems remain clear, operational, and available to our community. You may have heard one team, one city before. Nowhere is that more evident than the work of our public works professionals. I want to sincerely thank all of our public works professionals for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to serving this community.
From delivering award-winning infrastructure projects to responding during severe weather events to assisting other communities, your work reflects the very best of public service. This recognition is a direct result of your hard work and commitment to excellence.
As part of the celebration of National Public Work Week, the Big Ben branch usually puts on uh puts on a rodeo every year. This year, uh, the annual rodeo is next Thursday, May 21st at Appalachia Regional Park. It's a great opportunity to see our public works professionals showcase their skills and compete in events that highlight the expertise required to serve our community every day. We love for you all to come out and enjoy the event with us.
Our public works professionals are truly rooted in service and because of our work, this community continues to thrive. Thank you for all you do for the city, for the residents we proudly serve. We're honored by this recognition.
and proud to celebrate National Public Works Week with all of you. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> How are you?
Yeah, I guess I'm open. He's telling me to get in close.
>> Ready? On three. One, two, three.
>> Good to see you guys. Hey, thank you.
Good to see y'all. See y'all.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
a little wonky.
>> Excuse me. Mr. Manager, do we have any announcements to come before the Talis City Commission tonight?
>> No, sir.
>> All right. Do we have any appearances by other governing agencies?
>> No, sir.
>> We are on the consent agenda. Have any items been pulled off of the consent agenda?
>> No, sir.
>> All right. Uh, commissioners, uh, excuse me, Mr. Clerk, do we have any public comment on the consent agenda?
>> Mayor, I don't have any forms. I'm just taking a look to the back of the room to make sure that we didn't receive any during proclamations.
Seeing no one, I have no comments and speakers on consent.
>> Move acceptance of second.
>> It's been properly moved by Commissioner Williams Cox, the consent agenda, seconded by the mayor, Pro Tim. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I.
>> All those opposed? passes unanimously.
We are on city commission item 10.01.
Mr. Cook.
Thank you, Mayor. Item 10.01 is uh an action requesting your reappoint of Patricia Swain to seat one on the Downtown Improvement Authority.
Uh her current term expires on May 31st of this year. If she's reappointed, she will serve until May 31st of 2029.
Excellent. Do we have any public comment on this item?
>> No, sir.
>> All right, colleagues, >> staff recommendation option number one.
>> Probably moved by the mayor prom. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Seconded by Commissioner Matlo. All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
Item 10.02. Mr. Clerk.
>> Item 10.02 02 asked the city commission to ratify commissioner Matlo's appointment of Washir Flood Strobble to seat one on the commission Tallahassy lean county commission for the status of women and girls as you know um many of these boards require um individual commissioners to appoint someone those items come to you simply for ratification of the appointment >> all right do we have any public comment on this item >> no sir >> commissioner Malo you're recognized >> uh move option one >> there second >> second >> second by mayor pro Tim motion made by commissioner Matlo seconded by the mayor pro Tim. All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
Do we have any other appointments? Mr. Clerk?
>> No, sir.
>> We're on the introduction of ordinance 11.01. Madam Attorney, >> thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item number 11.01 is the introduction of ordinance number 26-Z-07.
an ordinance of the city of Tallahassee, Florida, amending the official zoning map of the city of Tallahassee, located on 474 acres located approximately 1,878 ft east of the intersection of Woodville Highway and Capitol Circle Southeast on the official zoning map of the city of Tallahassee. changing the zoning classification of land from critical planning area CPA to LOTD planned unit development uh PUB providing for conflict severability and an effective date. The recommended action is option one introduce ordinance number 26-Z-07 and set the first and only public hearing for June 10, 2026 at 6 p.m. in the city of Tallahassee city commission chambers at city hall.
Any exparte disclosures concerning this item are available via the hyperlink included in the agenda item as published in the board doc system.
>> Excellent. Mr. Cook, do we have any public comment on this item?
>> No, sir.
>> All right. It doesn't require any action, but we always ceremoniously make a motion just to accept it into reading into the record. Is there a motion?
>> So moved, Mr. M. Mayor >> been properly moved by the mayor pro Tim. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Second by Commissioner Williams Cox.
Commissioner Porter, you're recognized.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I have a couple of questions if anyone's available.
>> Rafano. Thank you. Pleasure.
>> Thank you. I have a couple of questions.
You know, as you know, this parcel is not just any parcel. That's why it's currently zoned as a critical planning area. It's probably in one of the most sensitive, environmentally sensitive areas of the entire southeast. So that being said, does the application include any kind of hydrogeeological assessment of the site's relationship to the Woodville Karst plane.
>> Uh I believe that there is a level of environmental review that is included in at this level. Um much more detailed environmental reviews will occur much further through down the development process. This is purely at a conceptual level of uh laying out how the area will be developed in terms of what uh type of land uses and at what size and scale.
>> So, and one of the reasons I'm asking all I saw in the conditions were storm water conditions that address you know engineering compliance but don't really contemplate environmental impact. So, I know that more review comes in later stages, but it seems like we might not even know enough about the site to really plan a put at this point. I mean, so I'll I'll move on because I have a couple of other questions. Um, has any independent wetland delineation been performed or will it be performed?
>> Uh, I don't I don't know that there has been an independent wetland delineation.
I believe that there's been some level of desktop review as part of this.
Again, that specific level of detailed analysis will occur further along the uh uh in the development process. Um there are, you know, uh from there's likely a de desktop review that's been occurred to this stage.
>> Okay. Well, and I I agree, of course, that I know that a lot of this is coming, but some of this I think is relevant at this stage, too. There are specific protections for wetlands and environmentally sensitive areas that are part of our comprehensive plan and are part of the assessment for how we could rule whether or not this is consistent with the comp plan. So that's what I'm getting at asking these questions.
>> Absolutely, Commissioner. And and to that extent, you know, the the applicant when reviewing where they're going to locate storm water facilities, things like that, they look at those types of things. So from that standpoint, as part of our comprehensive plan review, everything that presented at this stage is consistent. Whether or not future development will, you know, be uh permitted or not, and there'll be a deeper dive into those types of things during permitting that occurs later in this process.
>> Okay. Do we happen to know the aquafer vulnerability classification for these parcels? And does our comp plan impose any density caps based on that assessment?
>> So I can't answer about what the classification is at at this point. Um and there may be some policies in our conservation element of our comprehensive plan. Um that would have been flagged by staff during this review and I did not see that in the report. So at this stage there's there's no flag in that regard.
>> Okay. And my final question, do we know were the density figures calculated on total or net buildable acreage after wetlands and open space or just the open space are excluded? Do you happen to know?
>> So the density calculation is just a gross gross acreage. Yeah.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Absolutely.
The action tonight is simply to read the uh ordinance into the record. Uh the proposed ordinance into the record. Uh there is a motion and a second. All those in favor signify by saying I. I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
11.02. Madam Attorney.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item number 11.02 02 is the introduction of ordinance number 26-09, an ordinance of the city of Tallahassee, Florida, amending sections 14-3.317, 14-3.320 and 14-4.419 of the code of general ordinances of the city of Tallahassee relating to police employees uh pension provisions, providing for conflict, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date. The recommended action is option one. Introduce ordinance number 26-09 and set the first and only public hearing for June 10, 2026 at 6 pm in the city of Tallahassee city commission chambers at city hall to amend the pension ordinance for police officers to align with the terms of their collective bargain.
>> Mr. Cook, do we have any public comment on this item?
>> No, sir.
>> Is there a motion?
>> There is a motion for option number one as recommended by staff, Mr. Mayor, >> to read into the record. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> All right. All right. All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
Any other ordinances to be introduced tonight, madam?
>> Not tonight. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> Policy formation direction 12.01. Mr. Manager.
>> Thank you, sir. Um, item 12.01 seeks the city commission's approval to establish an honorary designation of Circle Drive from Myers Park Drive to South Magnolia Drive in the honor of Dr. Charles and Connie Evans. Uh, I would like assistant city manager Ojayo to come forward. She's been working with Miss Evans on uh other matters and I'd like her to do the honor of uh introducing this item. Sir, >> thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> Good to see you.
>> Good afternoon, mayor and commissioners.
It really is my um pleasure to present the item, but I am backed up by all the good men and women at Growth Management who've been doing the good work. And so um Mr. Reic is here as well to answer any questions that you might have. Uh, as the manager has mentioned, we have some dignitaries in our audience.
>> Um, and representing today for that power couple is Dr. Connie Evans. So, let me just introduce the work that is um that we are recommending for you all this afternoon. Um, Drs. Charles and Connie Evans were two transformational community leaders whose lifelong dedication to education, civil rights, public service, and civic engagement profoundly shaped the Tallahassee community. Dr. Constance, who's affectionately known as Miss Connie, if you've had her sweet tea, uh, you know that she is a sweet lady. U, but she is a powerhouse in her own right. She founded the NAACP Civil Rights Hall of Fame and the NAACP Black Achievers Award, initiatives that recognize individuals who have advanced justice, equality, and opportunity in the community. And throughout Dr. Constance Evans career with the Florida Department of Education in Lyon County Schools, she championed student success um adult education and institutional reforms that promoted fairness and equity. Now, the other half is just as powerful. Dr. Charles Evans senior earned both an MBA and a PhD from Syracuse University and later joined the faculty at Florida&M University School of Business and Industry where he served as a professor and associate dean um for more than 32 years shaping the lives and careers of countless students. Dr. Charles Evans, Senior, served as the president of the Tallahassee branch of the NAACP for 14 years and dedicated substantial time mentoring young leaders through the NAACP youth council and ACTSO program.
Together, Dr. Connie Evans and Dr. Charles Evans, Senior, exemplify the values of leadership, of service, of education, of advocacy, and community empowerment. If approved, as we are recommending, um, commissioners, um, we would, uh, install permanent signage that will be, um, along Circle Drive, that is the current name, and it Circle Drive runs from Meyers Park Drive to South Magnolia Drive. And, uh, we will be dedicating that roadway as doctors Charles and Connie Evans honorary roadway effective June 29th, 2026. Um, as you know, we we've done this a couple different times and each one is very special. Since this request is an honorary designation, uh there are no property addresses that would be affected by this. Um and as I mentioned, our growth management team, um very well equipped. We'd work together with the other departments to make sure that installation is done. Um but we're pleased to make that recommendation to you and at your direction, we'll get started on it right away.
>> Excellent.
>> Before we go into any questions, let's take public comment. Mr. Cook.
>> No speakers. Mayor.
>> All righty. Let's open it up. First of all, to get things started, is there a motion for approval?
>> There is a move uh Mr. Mayor to uh approve staff recommendation option number one.
>> There has been a motion for approval by the mayor pro Tim. Is there any objection to a unanimous second? Seeing none, it is unanimously second. Mr. Mayor, Pro Tim, you have the uh you have the floor.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It is certainly my honor well, first of all, to recognize my pastor, the Reverend Dr. Michael Price who is with us this afternoon.
Reverend, thank you for being here.
Jackie Henderson who's a member of the Bethlehem Church here in Tallahassee.
Jackie, thank you. But it is certainly my honor to have uh uh uh because of the relationship that I have uh had with the Evans family for years now, not only as members of Bethlehem Church here in Tallahassee, but our uh activity throughout the community. uh they have been uh stalwart leaders in this community and have made so many things happen in improving the li the quality of life of people in our community and so it is my honor certainly to be able to support this recognition of the Evans family in this regard uh Mr. Mayor.
>> Excellent. Commissioner Williams Cox.
>> Thank you. Uh Mr. Mayor, I too want to just come on and say um how much this family actually means to our community.
Uh I met Dr. Charles Evans before I met Dr. Connie Evans because Dr. Charles Evans was the president of the NAACP and he didn't take no for an answer. Let me just say it. When somebody stepped out of line, he made sure they knew that he knew they had stepped out of line. And so we he and I and um others with the NAACP would be regulars at schoolboard meetings because we had an issue at our high school on the south side and we needed help. And so we we we fought together and uh when he went to to Glory um his wife Dr. Connie Evans kind of took up the mantle and she is in her own way very quiet but very powerful and very strategic. That's the word I'm going to use. uh in how she how she deals with uh issues in our community and her sidekick Sely uh her four-legged friend um there with her is always at her side and so I think that it is fitting and very honorable an honorable thing to to do is to recognize these two powerhouse couples and if I remember correctly I think Dr. Evans and I share a birthday. Uh July 23rd, we were both that was another thing we had in common.
>> Birthday twins.
>> They were birthday the birthday twins.
But um so again, I wholeheartedly support us doing this and I want to thank staff for working alongside and um making sure that we could get this done in a very dignified and distinguished manner. and and and to all everyone who came to join her today. Uh she brought her brought her her fan club and her family members and so we're glad that you were able to join her in chambers u for this auspicious occasion. Thank you.
>> Great. Further comment, Commissioner Matlo.
>> Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh first off, congratulations. I think one of the honors we have as city leaders is getting to be part of remembering where our community has been um and making sure the future generations also know.
So when we do road designations like this one, it's a fitting honor even more uh fitting uh location. So I look forward to uh seeing the the signs go up. But I just want you to know and the family to know that the city of Tallahassee does appreciate the contributions to our community over the years and and to this day. So, thank you.
>> Well, I'll just say as a thank you, Mr. Mayor, as a as a commissioner and as a resident, thank you for loving us and thank you for fighting for us. And um it's a fitting recognition of your service that continues to this day.
Thank you, >> Dr. Evans. is great to see you and it's my honor to support the motion on the table. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
>> We're on item number 12.02. Mr. Clerk.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh city commission policy 144 filling commission vacancies was due for sunset review and following that review uh has a few changes that are proposed. U first and foremost um our charter now provides that within 60 days after a vacancy in office the commission um must fill the vacancy and city commission policy 144 needed to be updated to reflect that 60-day charter update. There are certain other changes um in connection with the process as well and so this uh policy update is presented to you for approval.
>> Wonderful. Do we have any public comment on this proposal?
>> No sir.
>> Colleagues move staff recommendation option number one.
>> It's been properly moved by the mayor prom. Is there a second?
>> Seconded by commissioner Williams Cox.
Discussion. Commissioner Matloo.
>> Uh thank you uh Mr. Mayor and and I support the motion on the table. I did have a question. Uh going forward, the 60-day the the charter dictating the governor has the ability to fill the vacancy after 60 days. Is that something we can eliminate as a city? Are we required to have any uh appointment authority if the city commission doesn't act within 60 days?
I think commissioner that um you know previously we had the the 20-day requirement and at the time when we made the change to 60 days um I don't recall whether we had discussion of removing that provision but I think it was left in as a practical matter that if city commission can't do it something has to be done to fill it and the thought was that with 60 days that gives us plenty of time uh to to get that done on a commission basis and with the changes in this policy, whether there's one vacancy or two vacancies or three vacancies, all could be accomplished within the 60 days.
>> Okay. As to whether we actually could or not, I'd rather get back to you on on that as whether it's actually a possibility.
>> Okay. And and again, I I support the motion on the table and and moving forward. We haven't had an issue. We were able to do it in 20 days. last time it hasn't been a real issue but I do feel firmly that the way the govern governor has been so aggro towards local governments um I would support not giving them any appointment authority over this board in the future. Thank you.
>> Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion on the table signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed. Passes unanimously.
5. All right. I'm going to take a quick little break and we're going to go back to the previous item. Dr. Evans did not uh fill out a speaker card, nor on my behalf should you have to. I would like to give you the floor and invite you to come say a couple of words if you would like, please. And it's great to have you here, Dr. >> Let Cely say something if she wants to.
>> Great to see you.
>> Thank you so very much. Um, I just want to say that uh I could not just leave with that wonderful presentation that uh you guys uh gave us. I could hear my husband uh ranting and raving, you know, you should have said something. So, I'm sorry. Uh please forgive me. Uh attributed to the teacher in me. Uh I didn't see a sign that said sign up or anything. No direction. So at any rate, I am going to spare you uh my 10-page presentation.
And if you know anything about our family, you know we have fun. We really have fun. Good evening. It is my pleasure to be here with you all this evening. the Tallahassee City Commission uh commissioners. Um I am just so filled with the thought that you all um felt that we had done something to deserve to have a street honored after us. And those of you that know my husband would know that he's very shy uh an intellectual. In fact, uh my family historian said to me, "Uh uh, Dr. Evans, did you know your husband was a genius?" And I'm thinking, "No, I knew he was a straight A student, but a genius." And I'm going to let you in on our little joke. Uh, people always tell them how smart he was, and then they look at me. You guys know what I'm talking about.
My comeback is really good. Uh, he couldn't have been too smart. He let me catch him.
>> Uh, oh, >> that's a family joke and I stick by.
However, I want to tell you, uh, commissioners, everybody, I'm not going to call you by name. You know who you are. I think I've had a personal relationship with everybody. In other words, I've antagonized you by calling, asking for something as I always do.
However, I'm going to tell you what the Tallahassee community and you all have done for my family. You need to know this. I have four children or we have four children. Uh I am now the matriarch of the family and these little smart kids are giving me a hard time. I tell you, pray for me.
What I'm up against is uh one uh my son Charles Jr. who's mil ex-military uh retired uh making more money than me and he did not go into education. See, that's the thing. Education is the key.
We are all educators. My husband was. We are. Our kids did not choose to go into education. Um my daughter Karita, who went through the public schools and everything here, she's assistant director financial aid at FAMU.
Uh, my other daughter, Cara. Um, I'm sorry, I got out of numbers. Connie Connie Jr., my name's sake, is the spit of me and her dad. She was, um, the first uh, African-American female president at Leyon High School. Uh, male, you know what that means?
uh she's now the vice president of Bank of America corporate headquarters in Charlotte. My other one and my husband's uh uh girl dad uh Cara was an Olympian uh at Leyon. She won 400. I mean, you name it, >> she won it. and uh got a full scholarship five years uh to that other school in Gainesville and we are just happy as we can be. Okay. Uh our public system allowed us the opportunity that we didn't have to pay and and that's wonderful. Um let's see. Fast forward.
Um I I just jotted down a couple of things I wanted to say. um what we've done in the community that you probably don't know that we were involved in. And I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity. Um you're naming a street for us that means an awful awful lot to the Evans family.
I came here from a brand new house uh in Greensboro, North Carolina to Florida&M.
uh cried for two years uh but have adjusted. You can see um the neighborhood means an awful lot to us.
Uh most people don't know it, but uh the Holston Plantation, which is where we located when we came here uh almost 40 years ago, is located uh right well, we're part of it, but there are also other neighborhoods that we're part of, too.
Myers Park, Woodland, Indian Head, Pontiac. We're the Southside. What do we have? We have a beautiful uh pond which um is named after Dr. Charles Evans.
Thanks to city commission. We appreciate you. You don't know how I feel when I wake up in the morning. I can look out with my coffee and see the pond. Uh it's so uh great. It's historical because that's where African-Americans uh wash the clothes, you know. Can you imagine? um Cascade Park, which is also a spin-off from the African-American community. It's beautiful. Ceiling and I love walking there at 6:00 in the morning.
Compliments to you guys. Old Fort, wonderful place.
What you may have forgotten is that uh your city commission was responsible for us spending over half a million dollars to have the old uh cleaners moved on street to our new home which believe it or not they named after my husband.
Again, I tell you um also it provided the NAACP with a home and for that we thank you. We thank you. He also participated in uh the junior uh museum's well he engineered the junior museum's program to vitalize the first Bethl Baptist Church. In other words, he begged folks for money to uh redo that and that's at uh uh uh the Tallahassee Museum uh for this and a lot of other things. Oh, I could go on FAMU FSU. You name it, we're part of it. We're part of a village. A lot of you here have had my tea and you stopped by my home. I love it.
>> Um, but you're part of my village and I did have some of my village to come today. Would you all please stand so they can see you all?
Those of you in the city, y'all can stand. Y'all know y'all need to stand.
Beggressive. Thank you so very much.
Again, all the Evans family can say to the city of Tallahassee and to our proud mayor of Tallahassee that rings. Thank you.
>> Thank you, God.
>> Thank you, Dr. Evans, and congratulations. We're on item number 12.03, Madam Attorney.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item number 12.03 3 is anformational update on um Senate Bill 1134, which as you know was uh is known as the anti-diversity bill, signed by the governor on April 22nd with an effective date of January 1st, 2027.
Uh this bill, this uh item is just intended to give the commission some information about that bill. Um so I'll just go through some of the things that are to highlight some of the things in the bill. So um the bill defines which is now a law defines diversity, equity and inclusion to mean any effort to reference race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation to either manipulate the composition of employees, promote or provide preferential treatment or special benefits or to promote or adopt training programming or activities with reference to any of those uh protected categories.
The bill broadly prohibits the city from directly or indirectly funding or promoting DEI. It declares existing DEI related ordinances, resolutions, rules, regulations, programs, or policy policies void as of the effective date.
And it prohibits the city from expending any funds to establish, sustain um support or staff uh a DEI office. Uh, as you know, I think the the enforcement mechanisms are um both criminal and civil. They they allow residents to bring a civil action and there's also criminal penalties for misfeasants or malfeasants that could result in removal from office by the governor.
>> There are many exceptions in the law um including actions necessary to comply with state and federal anti-discrimination civil rights laws.
the observance or recognition of state and federal holidays and of individuals who are recommended by monuments and memorials. Those exceptions take up multiple pages. There's a lot of state and federal holidays and there's a lot of monuments and museums. So, um that that is kind of a significant carve out um for the city. the um the the kinds of activities that may warrant closer examination in light of uh Senate Bill 1134 would include city sponsored or city funded programs, trainings, initiatives, communications, um the city sponsorship of or support for certain community events and celebrations, uh economic development support programs, contracts and grants, and then of course ordinances and policies that might contain uh DEI specific language or directives.
Um the request in this item is to ask the city commission to direct city city staff will need to assess all of these existing programs, the list that I just gave um to determine if and in what way they are or are not consistent with um Senate Bill 1134.
Some of the issues with the bill are that it's it's somewhat vague and very broad. uh and so there are still a lot of questions and we are waiting uh you know we are we are starting to explore those questions and try to understand them. We are also looking for guidance from organizations like the League of Cities and the Association of Counties which we hope will provide uh consistent interpretations for municipalities and counties across the state. Uh so the city staff will need to kind of um generate that list of the possibly affected programs and policies and then determine if those policies and procedures are are actually legally required, if they can be structured using raceneutral generally applicable criteria um or if they appear to be prohibited by the statute and might require uh further action by the city commission. So, the option here is to direct city city staff um to conduct a comprehensive review as I've stated and identify um the the programs, policies, ordinances that might be affected by the bill and then report back to the city commission with findings and recommendations.
>> Excellent. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Do we have any public comment?
>> Mayor, we do have one speaker on item 12.03. That is Stanley Sims.
>> Your name and address for the record, please.
>> Good afternoon, Mayor. My name is Stanley Sims. I'm at 1320 Aenddale Way.
I am very concerned about this beer bill because I really think that this bill violates home rule and it violates home rule in a very anti-ultural way. One thing that I can say about the city of Tallahassee, it has been very good at supporting the different diversities of communities in our city. Our Harambe Festival, where does that sit? Now, according to my conversations, Mr. Mayor um with the national um NAACP Black History Month is safe because that is a national holiday. You understand?
But um Martin Luther King is safe. But how how will we as a city what has made us an all-American city?
Where do we go from here?
>> You know it is it's it's it's scary. Mr. mayor. Um I I I also think that what happens to the EEOC office, you know, um is it handicap and challenge people?
Will they be next? And the reason why I really wanted to speak on this, I don't know who our lobbyist is, but we really need to start talking about how state government is filtering down to local government and is tying your hands.
All communities don't look alike. Our children don't look alike. They're all different.
My grandmother stopped me years ago from saying, "I love all you all the same."
That's impossible.
You do not love everybody the same.
And so I'm just very concerned because it it it unfortunate that we have to be hunted in a country that we built.
>> You're at 30 seconds.
>> It's unfortunate that I got to prove that I am worthy of state funding. Our next speaker, please. That was the only speaker on this item. Commission discussion. Commissioner Williams Cox.
>> Thank you. Uh, Mr. Mayor, um, Madame Attorney, I think it's it's worth noting that there has been a lawsuit filed um, regarding um, this bill or this law.
>> Oh, really? I was not aware of that, Commissioner.
>> Yeah.
>> Recently or today or >> No, it wasn't today. It's been recent.
>> Okay.
>> The um I think it's equal equal ground I believe and um it has filed um as soon as it as soon as it it hit unless something has changed. I I I actually saw saw the document.
>> Um and I'm very familiar with this bill because I did go Mr. Sims I did go over to the legislature and testified against it. Every year every year something like this has come up. I've gone over to testify against it. But what we have is uh folks who are just hellbent on uh eroding home rule and eroding um our our communities and being able to do what what works best for our communities. And the only way we combat that, the only way we combat that is that we vote.
>> We elect people who recognize that we are not all the same and that we should recognize those differences and uh embrace them. So that's our remedy for for these kinds of things. Now what can happen is um you know we have a governor who's uh commissioner Matllo has just mentioned him earlier who is who is terming out. So we have an opportunity to replace him with with him with someone who who understands uh what diversity, equity, and inclusion is. We also have an opportunity to elect folks in the legislature who have local government experience and understand what it means to serve at the local level. so you won't keep eroding away at home rule. Also electing people who have some small business um experience. So understand that we spent a lot of money and time on the disparity study and we did what we thought we needed to do to fill that gap to make sure that um these individuals these these these companies would be okay. um to the tune of about 150 um businesses, small businesses, um minority and womenowned business because it's not just color. You heard what she said. It's sex. I mean, it's gender, it's uh uh who you love, how you love, all of that. It's just it's very broad, very wide. And so, we just have to be very very careful on how we u navigate this. The fortunate thing is that it it doesn't take effect until January 1, 2027. So, we do have time to vote to hopefully stop this. We also have time to figure out what we need to do to be able to keep our community moving in a positive direction. And we we have an opportunity to just make things better.
So, um we just we we we've got work to do. It's not that we it ends here and we see what's happening around the country with voting rights, civil rights, all those things. But I am encouraged by uh what I saw Ambassador Andrew Young say. And for those who may not know who he is, Google him.
He is almost 100 years old. And what he said was this is not a step back. This is time for us to step up. So if we if we've never voted before, we need to vote like we've never voted before. And we need to vote like we the ancestors gave their lives for us to vote. So we just need to go in groves and reverse this. this is how we reverse this. So until that time, we've got to follow the law. We will follow the law. But um and Amy, I I'll find that information and get it to you. But yeah, there was a a lawsuit file. I don't know. I don't know where it is now, but it there was one file. Okay.
>> Is that a motion for the recommended action?
>> It is a motion for the recommended action.
>> Recommended action has been properly moved by Commissioner Williams Cox.
>> I will reluctantly second that motion.
>> Understood for the record. seconded reluctantly by the mayor pro Tim and you are recognized sir.
>> Thank you Mr. Mayor and uh you know this is very disheartening for me for a number of reasons. Uh one is I grew up in the segregated South when African-Americans didn't have opportunities simply because of the color of our skin. I grew up in that kind of environment. I grew up not seeing my parents be able to vote and so it encouraged me to be in public office and to to vote and I I make sure that my daughters even today I just called the supervisor of elections office to make sure that they're able to vote in this upcoming election cycle. But it's it's it's very disheartening because uh one of the things that prompted me to run for public office was I saw the inequities that existed in the public schools of Leyon County during that time and I knew there was no African-American on the school board at the time and of course we certainly had never had an African-American superintendent.
And so I knew that in order for there to be changes made, there had some had to be somebody at the table to speak to those issues. And that's what prompted me to run for the Leyon County School Board and to be the first African-American male elected to that body. And one of the first items that came to me from the late Mr. Eddie Gallon, who had a uh business here in town, and Frank Williams, who owns Florida Developers, still active in the community. They came to me and said, "Uh uh, Brother Richardson, we cannot seem to get any business as as African-American business owners with the Leanne County School District." And when I ex looked into the issue and had staff bring me back information, sure enough, there were no African-American businesses that were getting business with the Leyon County School District.
It wasn't because they weren't qualified. It wasn't because they couldn't do the work. It was simply because of the color of their skin. And so I advocated for the establishment of a minority business enterprise program with the the school board of Lyon County and we were able to get that passed and it made a difference in the lives if you will of African-Americanowned businesses uh in this community and to now see that being eroded all of that effort and what it meant to those uh business owners and to now see that being eroded because of what's happening uh at levels beyond where we are. And and and and and efforts being made to uh uh convince us that if we vote the wrong way or make certain comments, I hope this maybe doesn't get back to the governor today. I might be getting a call from them. Uh but but I I I I have to say it uh because like I said, this has just been personally disheartening to me to see uh these kinds of activities being questioned uh because of who is being impacted. And uh so that's why I reluctantly seconded the motion because I I know that it's information that we're going to have to have to determine how we abide by the law. We had a brief discussion about this at the Tallahassee um at our meeting the other day, Commissioner.
>> Yeah.
uh the board meeting, the visitors information, uh what development council, >> tourist development council board meeting, uh we had a brief discussion about that because there are programs that we fund through that effort uh that are going to be negatively impacted. And so, uh, as as the commissioner has mentioned, it really comes down to us voting. And we've got to make sure that people are registered to vote, that they understand uh, who's the people are that are running for office, what the issues are, and choose those people who are going to represent our best interest in these elected offices at every level.
And that is my commitment to this community that I will try to do all that I can to make sure we get the right people elected that will support us in these efforts.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> Mr. Mayor, I I need to make a correction.
>> Sure.
>> It's the the lawsuit is not for the anti-Dei. It is redistricting.
>> Yeah.
>> So that Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> So it's it's all all in there together.
All happening at the same time. So >> Mr. Mayor, if I could.
>> Sure. Uh, I I do know, Commissioner, that there has been talk of a lawsuit being filed. I'm I'm just not aware of of specifically one having been filed yet, but I am keeping an eye on it.
>> Yeah, I was mistaken. Is is the redistricting.
>> Uh, Commissioner Porter.
>> Oh, thank you, Mr. Mayor.
You know, we all want and deserve a say in what happens in our local government, the decisions that affect us most directly. Um, I think that I love the tagline local voices, local choices. I think that's a principle that almost everyone I know can get behind.
I I think that we do have a responsibility to stand up for residents of of Tallahassee and our local democracy. And I thank the people, my my colleagues and those in this room who have fought for decades to achieve the gains that we have achieved and only to see them now being threatened and dismantled.
>> Yeah.
I also agree that you know we when we as elected officials do a risk assessment when we make these decisions >> and and the state is not a partner but a threatening force that's we all take that very seriously but there's also a risk when we don't fight back and so I you know while we do our homework work.
I guess I'm more interested in us exploring how we fight back than complying at this point. It seems like we don't really need a motion for us to, you know, have a review of what we're doing. Not that I don't support that at all, but I feel like we still have time to litigate to see what comes of that.
and I'd rather our efforts go to that before we jump to compliance, especially since it seems that there is an avenue for legal action here. Um, just last night, I believe the county commission gave direction for an item to come back exploring what legal action could look like. So, they didn't move forward last night, but it's an item that's coming back. Um, I know that other organizations are considering that as well. So, I don't know if it's a substitute motion or if it's an amendment, but I think what the direction I would prefer we give is to devote our time to exploring those efforts, um, litigation efforts, partnership efforts before we would move to this step. again specifically since it seems that we do have time um to do that if it if it comes to that.
>> Commissioner Matlo.
>> Um thank you Mr. Mayor.
Going to try to speak about this and not say things I regret, but this is a dark day in Florida's history. You know, I heard somebody call us the free state of Florida. This is what freedom looks like to the people of Florida. State overreach coming into the pockets of local communities and dictating how they spend their money.
That's not the freedom I believe in in America. It's not what I think Floridaians stand for and it's certainly not what the people of Tallahassee stand for who have affirmed the decisions of this body at the polls and at elections time and time again. If there's a disagreement with what we're investing in, how we're spending our money, what we're doing for our community, the people of Tallahassee have a remedy for that, and they don't need the state government uh to step in. And the impacts of this while are are just outright cruel of what they're targeting. They want to say DEI broadly uh to to point to um anything that they don't like, anything that might have black people getting some money uh from a local program. They don't want to see any of that. It's it's absolutely absurd. And this goes so much further. Um, and I do think we do need to do the review cuz I don't think people understand just how egregious this legislation is and can be interpreted. It doesn't just mean don't have a DEI office or don't have a a minority uh minority contractors programs. It talks about being able to promote anything in reference to sex, race, uh, diversity, gender, identity. That could look like a city commissioner making a Facebook post on their page celebrating Pride Festival or Experience Asia, anything with cultural differences in respect to cultural identity with the penalty of being removed from office.
How absurd is that? Is that the Florida that that we want to live on? So, I do agree with Commissioner Porter's comments. I don't think we can comply in advance. I do think we have until January for the implementation, but I do think we do need the staff review going through exactly what can be impacted at our city to be able to show the public and see where where our challenges may lie because we can pick one or two things that may be impacted, but I think when we dig deep, it could be a whole lot more. I think we need to be armed with that information um as we push back. I think we need to work with the groups around Florida who are already promoting um uh legal challenges and look for the other cities that are willing to step up as well. You know, we're not the only ones who don't want the state government reaching into our our checkbook. Home rule is uh enshrined in Florida. this is what we should be fighting for every time they step over the line. We need to be pushing back in in the court systems. We recognize they're trying to stack the court systems as well, but that doesn't mean we sit back and and don't fight back.
So, I I do support the motion on the table. I also support um a separate motion or an additional motion looking at what legal challenges we can enter into. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> I don't know if we need a separate motion or an amendment. Uh, madame attorney, just as part of the package, so the manager's office will do the majority of the review of program since that's out of your uh, shop, but madam attorney, will you also include the legal landscape um, as it comes back as well?
>> Yes, I would expect actually that we would work together on that to identify the programs and then uh, have legal interpretations of this law to see where they apply. Sure.
>> Um, >> if the direction of the commission is also to include options for legal action against the law, I I have not researched that, so I cannot speak to it whether we'd have standing or what that might look like. I can certainly include that in a review that would come back to the commission.
>> Please, that'd be great.
>> Any further comment?
>> Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I. All those opposed? Passes unanimously. 5-0. We're on item number 12.04. Mr. May, >> thank you, sir. Let me ask Environmental Services Director Alysa Myers to come forward for a presentation. I'll u provide a brief introduction and and Alyssa will provide a comprehensive presentation on this. U Mr. Mayor commissioners, as you know, city staff has been closely engaged for many years on the topic of PAS, PFAS, which is a group of man-made chemicals that are widely used and commonly found in many consumer products in our environment.
Over the years, staff has provided you with periodic updates on the city's monitoring, regulatory awareness, and response efforts to POS.
But recently, questions and concerns have been raised by members of the community regarding P5 and whether additional treatment should be installed at the city's wastewater treatment plant. U staff conducted a very comprehensive uh test upstream downstream at the wastewater facility.
And the good news, we didn't know what we would find. Uh but the good news is that the recent study found uh levels of P5 to be uh both untreated the water coming in which is often referred to as influent and the treated waste water effluent are well below applicable federal and state standards even for drinking water. That was good news uh to find. uh separately separate and apart from our wastewater system as a city we've been regularly monitoring our public drinking water system for many years now as this topic was emerging and becoming much discussed in our in our world uh in our drinking water is clean and safe. I'm very proud to say that. I think that's something that we have to underscore. That's a very important topic for all of our citizens served by the city's uh water system. M >> the agenda item is very comprehensive.
You have it in your materials and we wanted to take an opportunity. Alyssa will provide a a presentation really with the goal of providing information to the public as we stay aware and then we learn more and this this topic um uh continues to to mature and and in general awareness. So with that, Alyssa, if you'll provide the overview.
>> Thank you, Mr. City Manager, mayor and commissioners. I'm excited to present uh to you on PAS today. I've been working on this issue for many many years now along with my team and we're always learning more um about that. So today's the agenda item was very comprehensive.
Today we're going to talk about what PAS is, give you a little bit of background, talk about our wa recent wastewater study, and then focus on our public water system. Um, so moving right along, PAS stands for per and poly floral alkal substances and it refers to a large class of man-made chemicals that have really been used for decades in everyday consumer and industrial products. And two of the most well-known compounds I'm going to be talking about today is PFOA POA and POS PFOS. And those are the most studied and regulated of the many PAS uh total. Um PAS are man-made. They're persistent chemicals and they're really widespread in consumer goods and the environment.
And it's important for us to all understand that PAS is not created by the city of Tallahassee. We don't create PAS. It originates from decades of manufacturing and use in products that are designed to resist heat, oil, stains, water, and grease. So, common examples on the slide you'll see of PAS containing products including non-stick cookware, carpeting, water and stain resistant clothing, furniture, textiles.
It's in pizza boxes, food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, waterproof makeup. It's even in dental floss, toilet paper, feminine care products, firefighting foam, other personal care products, pesticides, and I'm sure I'm missing some. It's it's really in so many things. Um, when you think about like stain master carpet, teflon, um, Scotch Guard, think PAS. So, you know, in the carpet that you're living in at home that has, you know, protectant or you pay for the extra protectant on your couch, that's all PAS. Now, whether manufacturers knew or didn't fully understand the long-term risks at the time, communities around the world are now facing the challenge of dealing with these substances that are now in our environment. This is a global issue.
This is not a Tallahassee only issue.
Um, PAS has been found in water systems, in wastewater, and in the blood of the human population around the world. It's everywhere. The science around PAS is regularly developing. Researchers are learning more every day about where PAS is found, how it moves through our environment, and what the most effective management strategies are. Regulations are still in the very early stages of development at this time. Now, we have been in the forefront, the city of Tallahassee, and learning about PAS. We started proactively testing our public water system before there was even a requirement to do so. M >> I believe that we were also the first in the state to partner with D on the assessment of our fire training facility and now looking at our wastewater. We are so ahead of the game compared to other people in the state. It's amazing.
Um as the science evolves, city staff continue to monitor the issue. There's a PAS forum that we're attending virtually this week um that's happening right now in Orlando. We follow federal and state regulations and we adjust our approach as appropriate. We also have a public-f facing website on talgov.compf that the public can stay aware of what we're doing. They can see the latest um results of our our public water testing and other studies andformational items including like what kind of products contain PAS, the history of what we've been doing over the past decade.
So before I get into the results, I kind of want to lay the groundwork of how PAS is measured. PAS is measured in one part per trillion.
Tiny minuscule measurement. So one part per trillion is one drop of water in 20 Olympic size swimming pools.
>> I mean that's amazing. Mhm.
>> Um, so when you look at the regulations, uh, the new federal drinking water standard that's going to be enforced by EPA in 2029 or potentially 2031 if they move through with rulem, that new drinking water standard is four parts per trillion.
>> Tiny. Mhm.
>> The uh DP's provisional groundwater cleanup standard is 70 parts per trillion for POS POA or a combination of them both. That's really small amounts that we're talking about.
So recently, a group of concerned citizens expressed the need to put a treatment system at our wastewater facility because they hypothesized that the treated waste water that's being sprayed at the Southeast Farm spray field contains high levels of PAS and are impacting private wells in Woodville.
Just to be clear, the scale of treatment that would be needed to remove PAS from wastewater in a system like ours would be tremendous. PAS treatment technologies for wastewater at this scale are still largely in the research and development phase. Based on available studies and the size of our system, the studies show that this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to put a treatment system at TP Smith.
So based on these concerns, uh we wanted to learn more. We conducted a broad study to understand what's coming into our wastewater system from our residential, commercial, and industrial customers. What's our influent? Um how much PAS is there in the treated wastewater that leaves our TP Smith, our wastewater treatment plant, and is sprayed out of the nozzles at the spray fields. And then what are the levels of PAS of ground in groundwater at the spray field? And again, I know I've said it before, we don't create PAS. We're a passive receiver of PAS. PAS comes in um from our customers and it's treated and and we're not doing anything to add to it through our process. So, I'm happy to report the news is good. Even though there's no federal or state regulations for PAS and wastewater, the results demonstrate that our treated wastewater has PAS levels well below the latest federal drinking water standards of four parts per trillion as you can see. So, you know, the first line untreated waste water, that's what's all coming in. So it goes through our sewer system. It comes into our headworks. We took a sample there. You see it was 1.3 parts per trillion is PPT and 2.8 parts per trillion. By the time it leaves and it goes to the Southeast Farm, you're seeing still super low levels. That would meet drinking water standards.
Wastewater, there's no regulation yet.
So needless to say, based on this, there's no treatment that's needed at TP Smith, >> right?
>> We also tested what's coming into our system from our residential, commercial, and industrial customers. We tested samples taken various pump stations and lift stations throughout our service area along with uh sampling some industrial users where PAS is likely to be found. places like laundromats, printers, car washes along with the local landfill. Now, the results that we got demonstrate that we have several sources of inputs of PAS coming into our wastewater system at at various places.
So the highest the highest level of all the tests that we did of our industrial users um was the landfill leate that uh that is piped directly into our sewer system and that had a a result of 820 parts per trillion of POA and 160 parts per trillion of POS. The regular uh laundry service the other ones were much lower. Um, you see the really the top ones are up here. The laundry service had 6.4 parts per trillion. The car wash, you're getting 4.8 parts per trillion. And the laundromat is is at 12 parts per trillion. Um, so it was very interesting to be able to see what kind of inputs and really where where there are issues. Um, ideally we'd like to stop PAS before it even gets into our system. Unfortunately, there are no federal or state industrial pre-treatment standards yet um for these type of users.
>> Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Porter, >> could you elaborate on that statement?
Like what would that look like if there were pre-treatment standards? I mean, ideally, you would like to see them require um testing of of what's coming in before it comes in. Um and then have uh like either they have to put a treatment system on it before it comes in or they're not able to if they're not able to treat to a level that would be acceptable, then they would containerize it or truck it somewhere else where it could be disposed of properly.
>> Okay. Thank you.
>> Anything else for >> Yeah. Thank you.
So, we also tested the groundwater wells at the Southeast Farm Spray Field and the results were well below Florida's provisional groundwater cleanup standards of 70 parts per trillion. Uh, at our levels, POA averaged 3.14 parts per trillion with results ranging from nondetect to 13 parts per trillion. PFOS averaged 6.08 08 parts per trillion with results ranging from non-detect to 25 parts per trillion. And these low-level detections may reflect legacy PAS that entered the wastewater system from historic sources in our community.
So separate and apart from the city study, the Florida Department of Health has also been conducting a private well drinking water study um in Woodville, as you probably heard. And when you look at this, I I took um all of the samples from the Florida Department of Health and mapped them out um with help. And and the highest detection of PAS can be found at the red star um on the map.
It's it's approximately 2.74 miles from the spray field. And and that the highest level was of PFOS and that was like I think it was 79. um tested over there. It's the point on the map with the red star. Now, the other points, all of the blue um the blue dots are areas that were either nondetect or meeting the new uh drinking water standard of four. And you see they're well distributed. There's 85 of 112 samples that were taken >> are either within the nondetect or meeting the new drinking water standard.
So about 75% of what Department of Health sampled. Um the other set of wells you have about 25 samples that were taken that are in light yellow and those uh tested between four and 15. So it would be above the new drinking water standard but not like crazy high numbers that you're talking about. And and the good news is is that uh the Department of Health is providing uh free sampling for anybody who wants to get their well tested in Woodville. And I have that number I'll be sharing. Um and then if any of their water is elevated, the Florida Department of Health provides free filters. Um, so anybody who who has elevated levels on a private well can get a free filter through the Department of Environmental Protection's um program. And so beyond the the blue and the yellow, you see an orange um that's just one sample and that's even further away from the spray field. I think that was like a 39 and it's southwest of the red uh star. And then you've got the one sample off of Oakidge Road East. Um, and that's your highest level. And and based on all of this, I can clearly say that the city of Tallahassee is not a significant contributor to the levels of PAS that are being found in central Woodville, 2.74 miles away. And and this, like I said, the solutions, the filter system, if folks are interested when they get elevated levels, I know you can contact Department of Environmental Protection.
We wanted to make it easy. So, we have it on our PAS page, talgov.compfast.
If you go to additional resources, we have the link that gets them the form to get the filter through DP. Um, anyone in Woodville that's on a private well that would like their well tested for free can call the Department of Health. I called the number myself because I didn't want to send somebody on a wild goose chase and I spoke to a real person. I made sure that this is the number to call for free testing and their number is 8508958360.
Again, 8508958360.
So, moving from our um our wastewater study, I just wanted to share we recently did testing of all of our public supply wells um in April of 2026.
All the results are on our PAS page and confirmed that our public drinking water supply is clean and safe. All wells except the Woodville well um our well 33 meet the new federal drinking water standard that's going to be enforcable in 2029. The Woodville well tested at 7.5 parts per trillion for PFOS, which is less than the previous time we tested it. About in 2024, it was 7.9 uh parts per trillion. Our water utility already has a pilot study ongoing to work on finding the right treatment solution for the Woodville well. We've optimized flow within our distribution system to ensure what's actually coming out of the tap for our customers is is under the the levels and meeting all standards and is safe. Um we expect that our pilot study will be finished with that and we'll be able to get a treatment system on there well below before any regulatory deadlines.
So, next steps, we're going to continue regular testing of our drinking water system. The next testing is scheduled for October 2026. We'll be testing all of our wells again, and we're going to remain vigilant in making sure that our public water supply is safe for our customers. We're going to continue the p the um pilot study at the Woodville well and figure out what's the best treatment system to filter that water. We're also continuing to monitor PAS related legislation and rulemaking. As I mentioned, the regulations are ongoing.
Um, and and we're keeping tabs on that.
Uh, we're also continuing to learn and collaborate with industry groups and regulatory agencies to learn more about PAS and provide input as regulations develop. It's a very exciting time when you're talking about PAS science. A lot is happening there. Um the ideal longterm solution for this is really to eliminate PAS at the source like we need to stop with the manufacturing and we need to get it out of consumer goods.
The science and the technology and the regulatory landscape of PAS is like I said is continuing to change so much. We all here remain actively engaged and proactive to ensure public health um and the health of our water system. So with that thanks for listening. The recommended action is option one to accept our update.
>> Excellent. Let's uh let's have some questions before we have uh public comment. Commissioner Porter.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Great presentation. Thank you so much. Um, could you explain, so it was my understanding based on what you said be we would expect that if the spray fields were the cause that the wells tested closer to the spray fields would have higher levels of POS and they don't. Is that how we reach the conclusion that the spray fields are not the cause? Well, so when you look at generally when you're you're looking at contamination at a study, you start at where the highest point is, right? And so that's 2.74 miles away. And you start looking around to see like what are the sources over there in this situation, you know, everybody was pointing at the spray field. Um, and so when you look at that and you see we're we're below, you know, Florida standards, there's there's really nothing to see here. um we're meeting the all cleanup target levels there and so you're not really like as you're going down you wouldn't expect to see all of a sudden a 76 coming from us is where I'm at.
>> And do we have any idea the well that did test at such a high level what could be the cause of that?
>> Uh we've provided some some suggestions to the Department of Environmental Protection. They're they're doing a study of their own to look into that.
That's a a private well study. So that's a Department of Health and Department of Environmental Protection issue.
>> Okay. What is Can you elaborate at all on I believe you mentioned that the city was doing its own research or testing out new methods? Can you elaborate on what steps we're taking?
Do you know what I'm referring to based on what you said? You said a lot good stuff. Um so may I think maybe what you're saying >> which the pilot program the treatment Yeah. could you >> agree? So generally when you're looking at um putting a filter for a drinking water system there's a couple of different treatment methods. Uh one is granulated activated carbon. It's like a gak filter. There's reverse osmosis.
There's ion exchange. There's several different treatment options. um in the water utility if they want to, you know, they could probably give you more, but there's there's lots of different treatment options. They're working with a vendor to figure out what is the best solution for us and the footprint of our our well.
>> Okay. Thank you, >> Commissioner Williams Cox.
>> So, um Alyssa, great report and thank you. I'm I'm happy about about that because it it was concerning when um some some reporting was that the spray field could be the culprit. So based on what we what you just showed us, looks like the biggest contributor is landfill. Is that what I understood?
>> That's what our testing showed.
>> That's what the testing showed that the biggest contributor to this is a landfill. What And that's not city of Tallahassee?
>> No.
>> Okay. Do you know what is that's the county? What what do you know if there's anything that they're doing now that this is they've been privy to this information that they're doing to try to alleviate or prevent this?
>> I have not heard from anybody um regarding that.
>> Okay. All right. Thank you.
>> U Mayor Prom.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Alyssa, excellent report. I I when I saw this on the agenda, I was ecstatic because there were those who were out there making it appear that the city of Tallahassee creates PAS and is contributing to the pollution that we see, the limited amount of pollution that we see from that. And that was very discouraging because I I didn't suspect it was the city of Tallahassee. and what you've presented to us here today demonstrate that demonstrates that conclusively. So, thank you for that. Uh the other point that I wanted to make is that based on what the news reports that we were getting that this was limited to the city of Tallahassee. It is a worldwide issue. the world is grappling with this PAS issue. And so it's important that people understand it's not unique to the city of Tallahassee. This is a worldwide problem and it's something that we all are going to be faced with having to to remedy and we have made some suggestions for how we do that. So, thank you for this report and for informing correctly informing our community about this issue of PIFA. And we've got an opportunity for people to go to our website and educate themselves even more if they need additional information. Thank you.
>> Thank you for Commissioner Matlo. Any questions at this time before we go to public comment?
>> Question.
>> All right, let's go to public comment.
Thank you, mayor. I have two speakers at present. The first is Ron Saf and then Jackson Older. Um speakers will each have three minutes.
Speakers will have three minutes for their remarks. I'll give you a heads up at two and a half minutes and the green light will turn yellow at that same two and a half minute mark.
>> Good afternoon. My name is Dr. Ron Saf.
Professor Don Axelrod and geologist Frederick Kasher measured PAS in Woodville private wells in Wakulla Springs. Our findings number one, there is PAS contamination of private drinking water wells in Woodville. Two, the headwaters of Wakulla Springs also has elevated levels of PAS. Three, indeed the city of Tallahassee drinking water provided to Woodville residents does not exceed the legal limits for PAS. The city of Tallahassee water well 33 in Woodville has levels of PAS or forever chemicals that exceed federal safety standards. However, city water serving Woodville residents meets the legal standard because water from contaminated water well 33 is blended with water from other non-contaminated wells and because of the dilution the level of PAS concentration is lowered so that it meets the legal standard. As a group of concerned citizens, the health of wet Woodville residents with private wells is our main concern. We are also concerned about the high PAS levels in Wakulla Springs that can harm delicate plant and marine ecosystems.
Forever chemicals have been detected in the blood of Florida manatees, raising signi significant concerns about their impact on the manity's immune and reproductive systems. We assumed that since city well 33 was contaminated, it was likely that nearby private wells could also be contaminated. Our testing of a number of private wells found that in fact those wells were contaminated with high levels of PAS. We immediately turned that that data over to the department of health. They did further sampling and they confirmed our findings of numerous PAS contaminated private drinking water wells in the area. In short, three different sources, the city of Tallahassee water utility, the department of health, and our group found elevated levels of PAS.
Additionally, and this is the article I gave you, our group and professor John Bowen at University of Florida found elevated levels of PAS in the headarters of Wakulla Springs near the swimming dock. I have provided you with professor Bowen's study that shows that Wakulla Springs has the fifth highest PAS concentration of nine tested vulnerable aquatic systems in Florida. Based on the hydrogeeology of the area, we postulated that the source of the contamination >> for the wells in Makulla Springs came from the spray fields. According to the to the wastewater report, the spray field is not the source. However, we are still awaiting confirmation from the Department of Environmental Protection.
Our main concern is the health of the citizens in Wakulla Springs ecosystem.
If the source is not the sprayfield, we request that you consider commissioning another study that will find the source of PAS both Wakulla Springs. Sorry, >> you're at three minutes >> for both color springs and Woodville private drinking waters. Thank you.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. Our next speaker, please.
>> Jackson Ner, >> your name and address for the record, please.
>> Jackson Ner uh 32317.
Okay, >> so I saw this presentation like the rest of y'all and um I'm a trained chemist.
I've reviewed a couple of papers for uh various journals. I've been a part of the peerreview process and I would not accept this to any sort of publication.
I saw a couple scattered points on a map, not a systematic uh uh flow study of of how this groundwater travels from this spray field to these communities or from how the the water travels from any other source near this uh well 33.
Water, if anyone's seen a river, we know water doesn't travel in a circle. It doesn't flow one direct or it doesn't flow in a perfect around where it's from. it flows according to how the ground wants it to flow. Now, I don't know for sure which direction this spray field's going, but I can say that as per this presentation, neither do they.
And uh another thing she brought up a number of times, or at least how she started, uh was that uh the amount of PAS that was an actual cause was a couple drops in a couple Olympic swimming pools. Um, the amount of mercury that you're allowed in drinking water is over a thousand times higher than what you're allowed PAS. Do you think that's out of an abundance of caution or do you think that's out of safety concerns because PAS have been connected to kidney testicular kidney and testicular cancer, elevated cholesterol, thyroid issues, decreases in immune response and developmental delays among a variety of other uh correlations that have yet to be fully studied.
What we have here is not a good test to understand where PAS are or aren't coming. And if we're taking them from um these treatment water facilities and putting them back into nature, then we're just keeping the PAS exactly where they are and we're not doing anything about it. My kids and my kids kids and my kids kids kids will all have PAS in their blood because they will stick around forever and it will be recycled through that throughout the community throughout the groundwater for as long as for as long as we don't do anything about it.
So I also second the motion uh from this gentleman over here to conduct a better experiment to actually identify uh where these PAS are coming from in the groundwater.
>> You're at 30 seconds.
>> Yep. Um and I also recommend that we do something put a filter after the treatment water. The treatment water and the the influent and the effluent should not have the same concentration. We have a point where we can do something and we're not doing anything and I would like to do something. Thank you.
>> You our next speaker, please.
>> Mayor, I have no other speakers on this item.
>> All right, let's enter into a discussion. Uh, Commissioner Williams Cox, >> I um Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Hearing what the two speakers have said, my question would be this.
Has have these comments been made to the county?
>> Right.
because you know I'm I'm going to accept the report but but if we truly believe that there is something that needs to be fixed and need to be done then both local governments was we know that there's a there's an issue in Woodville which is in the county.
>> So are we talking to the county um about these findings and what the what's what's the proposed um solution?
>> Mr. Mayor may comment to that um commissioner. Thank you for that question. So, so D, so the common connection is D.
>> Um, and there has been acknowledgment of the county will ultimately certainly need to do its own research. I think what we have found relative to the spray field, the inputs to the spray field helps kind of further that investigation. Alyssa alluded to testing we're doing with D at our fire station, which we've been doing in cooperation with D. I bring that up because that testing has given us a lot of insight as to how PAS moves in soil and ultimately in the aquifer below that soil. How far will it travel from its original concentrated source before it's dissipated? That helps. What ALSA didn't say, and I'm not a scientist and I don't want to draw this conclusion, is you get closer and closer to where the elevated levels are and you can test the aquafer there. You can test soil. You can look for other reasons. We know at the fire station for example, the reason we are testing that is because the foam that was used as a fire suppressant is highly uh has a lot of PAS content. And so this will help DP and others start to kind of, you know, zero in on where to look, what to test, and how to go about it. Um certainly this would would suggest there's more testing needed in the Woodville area and possibly as you move even south into the Wakulla Springs area. It could be very localized. I think that's what we're learning. It's not necessarily at a you know a bigger source into the aquifer spread um spread about. I think I think we would generally draw conclusions that it it is diluted very fast. Mhm.
>> We talked about the landfill, the input of the landfill. In our case, the leech aid at the landfill is collected and literally is piped straight into our wastewater system at a very high concentration. Now, we know that. We didn't know that before. We'll share that with our colleagues at at Leyon County. There's no regulation of that, but it could be at that point you treat that or or do something different. These results are only going to help us kind of determine next steps. And I think D will serve partly as a clearing house for that. I know in our community we are way ahead of the game. It probably will help D be ahead of the game in the rest of the state as well.
>> We're way ahead of federal regulation.
It's it's slow to come. Uh and so I think that really sorry for real long answer. I think this only helps us move to the next step which will be necessary and I think it will be somewhat localized in the Woodville area for this particular issue and it'll just help us determine how to test in the future.
Okay.
>> Thank you, >> Commissioner Malo.
>> Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh first off, thank you to all of our staff for the the work they conducted on this as well as uh Dr. Saf and Professor Axel for for raising it to community's attention. You know, it it wasn't too long ago that people were smoking cigarettes on the other side of the plexiglass at at the Waffle House. Uh it took people recognizing the dangers, elevating them to the public for public to take widespread action to protect the safety and well-being of of people. um what we've discovered here and and I've been working closely uh both with uh county officials, Commissioner Proctor as well as uh D and I think the deputy secretary for volunteering to try to help uh identify the contamination that are are in these wells. But we have people living south of Tallahassee uh in rural areas uh with not a lot of money and a lot of them are on private wells uh that are contaminated above the recommended drinking water levels. That's serious.
It's serious enough uh that we should all take it uh serious enough to do the testing, make the hypothesis, help identify the source. uh D has committed to help identify the source uh of where POS is coming into uh these private wells. So I do think it made sense to uh test the the spray field and see but at the end of the day there there are people with a lot of not a lot of money who can have really serious health conditions and hazards um if local governments don't act. So I'm glad we are leading on this as the city of Tallahassee uh Leyon County and and the state of Florida. I do think largely what needs to be is as we identify these and move forward transition to advocacy for a federal ban on these uh chemicals being used in consumer products. We know we're not the cause of it. Even if it was at the spray field, that doesn't mean Tallahassee's uh the bad guy. We're doing the science to learn um how these chemicals are getting into uh the water supply. And I do know that we need to take a different direction or we're it's going to continue to get worse uh for for more people. So I do support continuing to work with the D and our city staff to identify uh what's elevating the POS levels particularly uh in well 33 since that's actually a a city well to help us you know I haven't been on the ground look for I mean we know the fire the fire foam here in Tallahassee what around that well could be contributing to to our well and can we help identify the source of contamination and well 33 um for the other folks I I do have two questions uh one for Alyssa. It was mentioned um contamination in Wakola Springs. The manager um mentioned that it could be more localized. I know that there's a history uh between the flow of water from Tallahassee into Aola Springs. Um we've done nutrient treatments and those sorts of things and and other testing.
Can you speak to kind of the flow of water that originates in Tallahassee and how it has impacted the springs in the past? Uh so I mean I think most people understand that that the flow is generally going south, right? Um, I think that to be able to make any sort of jump that there's a PAS link that's going to Wakulla Springs would really not be um there's no information to to demonstrate that at this point. So I would be very hesitant to start trying to link anything that's happening in the city of Tallahassee and what we've tested Wakulla Springs.
>> Okay. I I guess my question >> PAS the other thing I'd say is PAS is everywhere. So you know PAS is in manities. PAS is in polar bears in the Arctic.
You're going to find it everywhere. And so to try and and pin it on, you know, one entity I think is dangerous.
>> Sure. I I I don't think anybody's trying to pin it on one entity, but I think the nature of testing the facility and coming up with the results you have is it's a valid hypothesis to test and it's been tested.
>> Yeah. And I think the goal is to protect to ensure that our operations are following all all regulatory compliance and to make sure that the drinking water that we're providing is safe, I think, is is the focus and where the investment um is.
>> Sure. Absolutely. Thank you. I appreciate that. And Dr. Saf, can I ask you one question?
>> The the testing in Wakola Springs, that was private testing or is that D?
>> So, uh, this was a that was the article that I gave you. This was an article that came out in 2023 and it was authored by Professor John Bowen and he's a noted PAS researcher at University of Florida. and and the article really should have received statewide attention, but uh it really got zero attention, but it really it really deserves attention. So, I want to bring it up. Um, Professor Bowen sampled PAS in surface water from nine vulnerable aquatic systems throughout Florida. So he looked at places like Wakulla Springs and Tampa Bay, Lake Okachchobee, Sarasota Bay, um Florida Bay, Charlotte Harbor Aquatic Preserve, uh uh pass. And he found that in in Wakulla Springs, it was the fifth highest, the fifth highest. And again, um, our my our group wants protection for W, uh, Woodville residents on private drinking water wells and also for Wakulla Springs. And the reason is is forever chemicals are taken up by aquatic plants and small organisms. As larger animals like manatees and fish eat the smaller organisms, there's biommagnification, meaning the top predators have the highest levels of PAS. And this what we're finding is that the problems that are caused in in fish and animals are the same types of problems that are found in humans. There's decreased fertility, immunosuppression, and hormonal imbalance that affects growth and behavior. and this can seriously harm the Wakulla Springs ecosystem. So, I really think that that um we need to be looking more not only at Woodville private drinking water wells, but also the the contamination which is which is significant of Wakulla Springs.
>> Thank you, Dr. S.
>> Thank you. Thank you. Um, and so just in closing, yeah, I do think, you know, we all need to be looking at this collectively as >> you mentioned with our county colleagues, maybe Wakola County as well.
It it impacts everybody. And I, you know, I think there's a lot of people who want to place blame or assign blame.
And I think what's most important is we're protecting uh these waterways and we're protecting these water wells and trying to identify the sources and advocate for what we can do to make sure that people who are drinking water that's contaminated have access uh to to the filters. They are being provided by uh the Department of Health, but they do have to know that it's a possibility in their area. The awareness has to uh get out and I think that's part in part uh all of our job. So I appreciate everybody's work on this issue. Uh so far I do think we need to do uh further research to see how POS is getting into well um 33 and we continue to work with D as they identify the sources of the Woodville contamination. Thank you >> Mayor Pro Tim.
>> Thank you Mr. Mayor. I again I want to emphasize the fact that as a city our staff, our professional staff that I highly respect uh has been at the forefront of addressing this issue for at least a decade. We're not new to this. Uh our major concern is how it impacts the citizens of Woodville potentially with color springs where you know you have a lot of people vacationing and uh enjoying the the the uh water in that area. But what we should be striving for are partnerships where we're all working together, local communities, because this is not just Tallahassee, y'all.
This is a worldwide problem again, as I emphasize, but our local communities, the state, uh, and and and and manufacturers because we're not manufacturing this PAS. You saw the pictures that we had up there. where it's coming from. Toilet paper, popcorn.
We don't manufacture toilet paper or popcorn in the city of Tallahassee. And so, we've got to, you know, all come together as partners to address this issue, particularly as it impacts individual and families and their lives in our region. I won't even say just in our community, but apparently in our region. And so that's the direction I think we ought to be headed in addressing this issue. Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Porter, then Commissioner Williams Cox.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
I'm grateful that we're having this conversation. I mean, this is the kind of thing that keeps me up at night.
Frankly, it's it's true what Commissioner Richardson is saying. This is a global problem. Frankly, I mean, I don't think it's an understatement to an overstatement to say an existential crisis that we're all facing. Um my question is and and lastly I'll say even though and I I agree of course the the partnerships and continuing this conversation continuing the testing seeking to identify the cause and and address and address that.
You know, we as the city of Tallahassee and everyone in this region have a unique responsibility because of how environmentally sensitive this region is and because of the Florida aquifer. And so although it's not all, you know, water knows no boundaries. Water doesn't care about the city limits, it is flowing where it's going to flow. And so we do, it is imperative that we lead on this issue and that we are working together. So my question is what are exactly the next steps like what are the what is in motion already whether it's additional testing by D or DO conversations with the county neighboring communities whether we're leading those efforts or not what is in motion >> Myers >> thank you commissioner um so I think the ne the next steps really is regulation we need to start seeing regulation from the federal and state government.
Industrial pre-treatment standards would be a great way to start. Um, we need to see that they're looking at car washes and laundromats and landfills and stuff where it's we know where PAS is.
um we need to start seeing those regulations and it trickles down and that's how you start seeing real changes in communities because it's out of the it's out of the manufacturing it's out of use it's not coming into our system it's it becomes not an issue I mean we are on calls with American waterworks association and we're going to PAS forums and we're constantly talking and learning and understanding what kind of filter system works best. This is a this is a conversation that continues literally it'll be people's careers that are coming out of college now. There's not a quick fix. It's very expensive. Um and it's everywhere. And so how much of a burden do you want to take on, you know, when you don't have control over regulations and those type of things? I think it really makes sense to focus on the public drinking water system. I think that is really where what we've been hyperfocused on to make sure that that is that that is safe. Looking at our fire training facility and understanding, you know, the delineation of that now bringing this to the wastewater. We are so far ahead of the game here in Tallahassee. It's amazing.
>> So, I mean, I think that the partnerships continue, the discussions continue. I would continue. We're going to continue sampling our drinking water system. we're keeping up with the regulations and and we're ready to pivot as we need to move forward. But I I would love to see it out of the manufacturing system and and everybody's going to benefit from it. But this is not going away tomorrow. This is a complex issue um that we're it's just life. This is what we're dealing with fortunately.
>> Right. And I'll just say and and thank you for that answer. You know, I of course agree that this needs to be regulated and needs I mean, it's insane that a person walk into a grocery store and have to make those kinds of decisions about whether or not this is going to be contaminating my body, my family, my water. It isn't everything and it just shouldn't be. Um, we know better now and we need to do better. And it's really expensive cuz I have tried personally to eliminate as many of the POS and and plastics and all of that from my own life, buying all new kinds of things and it's really expensive to buy alternatives and those filtration systems. And so, um, if anyone's listening in the room or otherwise, we do have a certain level of control over what we consume in our own homes.
And we all have a role to play in how our own consumer choices are affecting our own water quality. That's not to say that we are the chie, you know, the only people responsible or that even it should fall on us, but we do have a role to play as well. we can make better choices as we continue to advocate for increased regulations and and whatever solutions we can find locally and and regionally as well. Thank you.
>> Is there a motion to accept the report?
We don't have a motion.
>> So move second.
>> Probably moved by Commissioner Williams Cox, seconded by the mayor pro Tim.
>> Uh Miss Meyers, thank you very much.
Question or two uh if you don't mind. I want to thank you for your incredible presentation. I really do. That was absolutely fantastic and I have full faith and confidence in our entire team of scientists that work for the city of Tallahassee that do this. Commissioner Matlo, I want to thank you and Dr. Saf and Commissioner Proctor for hosting the press conference on the front steps of city hall to bring attention to PAS in our community. It did force our hand to go out and do the testing. I will sleep well tonight knowing what the test results provided.
>> But I got to tell you, I'm a little I'm a little uh surprised. Dr. Saf that during your testimony, not once did you mention the solid waste facility. That is the 800lb gorilla in the room that we need to address. Now, I am sure that because we have gone and we have invited D to come and confirm testing at our wells and I know they are. Y'all got their attention, Commissioner Matlo during the press conference. I am sure that their testing will reaffirm our numbers. Mhm.
>> But I also want to thank you because you and Commissioner Proctor have brought attention to the landfill and did I hear correctly 800 PPT >> 820 >> 820 PPT going directly into our wastewater system.
>> That is something that our good friends at the county are going to have to address. And I imagine that when DP, thanks to your um shining the light on this issue, uh gets out there and reaffirms the test at the landfill, uh they will be very interested to hear what our colleagues at the county commission are going to have to say and do. And I look forward to the press conference on the courthouse steps addressing this issue, Dr. Staff, of what is going on out at the landfill. I think it's very important and I appreciate you raising awareness. With that, all those in favor of the motion on the table signify by saying I. I. All those opposed.
>> Passes unanimously. 5-0. We're on 12.05.
>> Um, Mr. Manager.
>> Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, I I'll start this one. Um, all of you have received my letter uh indicating my intention to retire this fiscal year or until you select the next city manager. I want to ensure do my part to ensure a smooth transition. Mr. Mayor, you asked that we bring an item uh forward for this meeting for your discussion. Our our human resources staff, our human resources director, Sandre Timson's going to uh present the item. Um but they got to work to put together a proposal for your consideration to begin a process, a nationwide recruitment process and hire a recruiter to do so.
So with that, let me turn it over to Sandra uh for the item.
>> Thank you, city manager, commissioners, mayor. Um, as you know, we are um preparing for a recruitment search for the city manager and we have reached out to the um executive firms that we have on contract thanks to the RFP that we did and you approved last year and based on that we pulled two out of that and the two we recommend um S. Renee Norlock um for her firm based on her costs as well as her proposal. it met the guidelines that we needed and at this time we are seeking that we move to a process in which that she has initiated this is something that she does um globally nationally and based on that we look for your direction as to the next steps >> Mr. manager. Do you want to add a little bit to or or or just add a little bit to the team of what this process would look like?
>> Sure. So, what we would do with the executive firm, they will reach out to the the commissioners as well as the mayor and work to build a candidate profile. And once we get that candidate profile, what we would do is do a nationwide search. And based on that nationwide search, there will be interviews done by the executive firm.
And that that firm would also work with you guys and make creating a short list.
And then the interviews will be held by you and then after that the section fractures will be done and we estimate that about 16 weeks.
>> Excellent. Okay. Oh, let's go to public comment. Do we have any public comment on this item?
>> We do have two speakers, mayor.
>> All right.
>> Uh the first is Ernie Payne. The second is Stanley Sims.
>> Great.
>> Your name and address for the record, please. You have three minutes. The clerk will let you know when you're at 30 seconds.
>> Ernie Payne, 2000s, East Indian Drive.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Commissioners.
A nationwide search for a city manager should begin as soon as possible, but it is far more important to do it right than to do it quickly.
As I remember, the last time that a true nationwide search was conducted for city manager was over 30 years ago after Dan Clayman departed.
Clayman had been recruit recruited nationally and served for about 20 years helping to establish the foundation for the great city that we have now.
He left after a disagreement with the city commission shortly after Scott Maddox was first elected, which is its own story.
If you truly want a candidate of the caliber of Dan Clayman, one who is not only willing to come into an atmosphere of potential political turbulence, but also has the experience and professional expertise to navigate those waters, you've got to allow for the possibility of it taking longer than four months.
Fortunately, there's no rush. Dr. Dr. Jumanville, your current deputy manager, is fully capable and qualified to serve as interim city manager until a suitable candidate is found, however long that takes.
You and the people can be assured that city services will continue uninterrupted.
But the final decision should be made by the citizens of Tallahassee as reflected in the city commission that they will elect in November.
But don't delay. Prepare your recruiting consultant, start the search, even begin the interview process, which would give the current city commission, including Mayor Dailyaly, important input in the matter.
But make clear to your recruiting agent that you won't be bound by an artificial and unrealistic time frame.
Public interviews to be conducted will benefit not only the public but all potential decision makers whether currently serving, reelected or newly elected.
In 2019, this commission formally established for the first time a strategic goal of public trust, giving it equal priority to all other goals.
It's no secret that trust in city government has been lacking lately, but the people of Tallahassee can have that trust restored with your legacy preserved and knowing that you have proceeded carefully and deliberately in this most important of all appointments and that it will reflect the will of the people. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Our next speaker, please.
>> Those are the only two speakers on the item.
>> I'm sorry, Stanley.
>> Next speaker.
I'd called his name, but I hadn't heard heard him speak yet. Sorry. Your name and address for the record, please.
>> Stanley Sims, 1320 Aenddale Way.
Last month was my birthday.
I was sitting on the chair going through Facebook and Mr. City Manager, it popped up that you was resigning. At first, I thought it was a prank. So, um, I got up off the chair. my wife, she was in the backyard doing a few chores that I had given her to do that I wanted done. And so, um, I went back there and I told her, I said, "Honey," I said, "The city manager is resigning." She said, "You joking?" I said, "No, I'm not joking." By the way, is this recorded? She going to be a little mad with me. Um, but here's one thing I want to say.
If anything you have taught me, Ree, you have taught me patience.
10 years you have put hell in my family.
>> You have did every possible thing to try to lock me up.
You've tried every possible thing to keep me out of this building. But praise be to God.
I don't fall and I don't fold easy.
Good luck to you.
And I pray I pray for you for you to be in such a prestigious position.
And one thing I can say, you're not just nasty to me. You don't just nasty direct to you're nasty to your co colleagues, the one who supervised you. Look at your attitude down at at at the um commerce last year. We shake a man's hand. My grandma raised me that any man is due to time of day.
Especially when that man evaluates you.
Good luck, my friend. Need any money for gas? Holla.
>> Our next speaker, please.
>> That was the last speaker, mayor.
>> All right, let's open it up for discussion.
>> Commissioner William Cox.
>> Um, Mayor, I'd like to make the motion for to accept option one to move forward with the hiring of the executive firm and moving forward with this process.
>> Option number one has been properly moved by Commissioner Williams Cox, seconded by the mayor Pro Tim. Further discussion?
Seeing none up, Commissioner Matlo. Um, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, I can't support the motion uh on the floor. I think we are making the same mistakes that were made in 2018. And if we go down this path, it's going to impact the future of Tallahassee for the next decade. My regards uh my concerns regarding the current city manager have been well documented over the years. My motivation has always been rooted in a desire for to for to free the city of Tallahassee from a culture of corruption that existed at city hall for much too long. It brings me no pleasure to rehash where we have been, but city hall has yet to reckon without how we got here.
In 2015, at the behest of Dr. Irwin Jackson, the federal government launched a public corruption investigation into our city. That investigation ultimately culminated in the December 12th, 2018 indictment of for former city commissioner Scott Maddox. Before his indictment and eventual conviction on charges including conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, Commissioner Maddox exercised significant influence in the appointment of Reese Go as city manager as he served as interim and oversaw the the selection uh process.
In text messages released during the FBI investigation, Scott Maddox bragged, "I got Rick, Ree, Wayne, and Ben. My work here is done."
Since his appointment, Mr. Good has presided over repeated instances of mismanagement within city government and has created a toxic culture of fear and intimidation. Now, the federal government has designated the city of Tallahassy's lead paint reduction program as high risk due to concerns regarding contractor payments and oversightes.
How can anyone justify an $8,400 >> commission for talk about that on commission time and right now we are on >> very it's very relevant to this conversation.
>> That's that's a separate issue. Let's concentrate on the process that's before us to select a new city manager. Will you please get to your point?
>> Yes. This is not magnificent management.
This has all the makings of malfeasants.
If the city of Tallahassee loses this federal grant, low-income families will bear the consequences. Federal dollars intended to protect families from dangerous lead exposure could disappear because of this city administration's ability to operate with an established healthy conversation about the HUD grant on commission time and I think we will.
I'm asking you please to stick to the agenda item which is about the process to hire the next city manager.
>> Absolutely. And and I'm laying out the case of why we need to take a different direction not under the city manager.
>> Well, respectfully, >> I will I will ask you to please stick to the process and we will have a healthy conversation I am sure about um um the other issue at hand as well.
>> Yeah.
This situation demands ethical and criminal review. The city manager should resign. And I'm also calling on this city commission to learn from the mistakes of 2018. An outgoing commission should not handcuff a future commission by making long-term commitments to a city manager before voters have had their say in the upcoming elections. An ounce of caution is worth a pound of regret.
The city commission elected in the August and November elections should be entrusted with selecting the next city manager and charting a new course for Teleahassy's future. We need a fair and unbiased search for the next city manager and the processes that we've seen in the past overseen by manager go have been neither. It feels a bit like deja vu in 2018 when public corruption allegations were at an all-time high just before an election. city manager code was installed.
The process was flawed. We saw opposition research on one candidate, Lee Feldman, quietly slipped to commissioners in Manila Williams.
>> Point of order.
>> Point of order.
>> Can we go back to what you said? Stick with the agenda item. We're we're not here to prosecute or make accusations against this the current city manager.
We're looking to the future for the next city manager. Yes.
>> And we're trying to get a process in place. A motion is on the floor. I appreciate Commissioners Commissioner Matt Low's repeated trying to go around the rules of what you've asked them to do, but the point of order is to deal with the motion on the floor.
>> Commissioner Williams Cox, I agree with you and I know that we will have a healthy discussion on commission time on the other issue. Commissioner Matlo, I'm going to ask you for a third time simply wrap up your comments. From what I understand, you have to postpone and have the next commission select the next manager. Is that is that the nature trying to say?
>> Mr. Mayor, what I'm trying to say is >> the next city manager search cannot be overseen by manager good >> vote and I'm laying out >> vote against the motion. Okay.
>> Respectfully, it's my time to make my position clear of how I decide to vote.
Respectfully, >> expired.
>> I I I am asking you as a colleague to please wrap up your comments. We know your feelings. you've made them very clear and I'm sure we're going to have a healthy discussion about that on commission time. But for the purposes of the agenda item before us, which is on the process of hiring the next manager, you have made it very clear in the public that you would like to postpone and allow the next commission to have the opportunity to select the city manager. I think that is sufficed for the record without having to drag uh in your opinion Mr. Go's reputation through the mud. Mr. uh Mr. Mander, my attempt is to lay out the processes that played out before. They're the exact same processes that the motion speaks to to go through the same process that was overseen in the last city manager uh selection process as well as the auditor process. These are the processes. That's what I'm speaking to.
>> Mr. Mayor, I I I have to insist. Yeah.
>> In 2018, Curtis Richardson was a member of this commission. And so what you're talking about now, Commissioner Matlo, did did not occur.
>> Point of order, Mr. Mayor.
>> Did not occur.
>> Comments directed directly attacking another board member out of order.
>> No. Uh, no, Commissioner Matlo, because you started down this Absolutely.
>> by tearing everybody else apart. And what you failed to mention is the nationwide search that we have had for both successfully a city attorney with this commission right here and with an inspector general.
>> If you would let me finish my comments, I would like to reflect on the other searches. I'm going to go ahead and wrap this up for you and we will continue this conversation >> I'm going to finish my comments on the record.
>> Why would order commissioner Mr. Manager This is a very important issue.
>> It is and you and No sir, you have not let me you are out of order. We are back on the original motion which is to accept the report option number one and authorize the hiring of Renee Narlock and Associates to conduct a nationwide city manager recruitment process.
>> I'd like to make a substitute motion, Mr. Mayor.
>> Substitute motion, please. Commissioner Matlo, >> I I I move that I propose a clean slate that we have Reese Go resign affected immediately. Deputy City Manager Jim Bill be offered a one-year contract to serve as interim city manager. So, a national search can be performed under a new city commission with an expectation of a permanent manager being put into place in one year's time by June 2027.
Under the incurrent arrangement, no responsible national candidate would be interested in taking the helm of the city of Tallahassee on a divided commission in a city that's embroiled in federal investigations.
uh with with HUD. We can't expect reasonable people to apply at this time.
We need a bridge. That's my motion.
>> Okay. And it's seconded. All those in favor of the substitute motion signify by saying I.
>> I. All those opposed.
>> I.
>> Fails two to three with the mayor, the mayor, pro Tim, and Commissioner Williams Cox in the Sentent.
Commissioner Porter.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Can someone explain what exactly we are committing ourselves to with the the the motion on the table, the authorization of hiring Renee Narlock and Associates Commissioner. So basically what we're asking is to start the initiation process of selecting a search for a next city manager. Now you decide how you want to do the time frame of it, but we want to start the initiation of the selection process of seeking out the next um candidates for this. And what are the next steps as far as conversations that we have as a body as far as qualifications, what we're looking for community input?
What does that look like? Especially given the fact that we are about to go on a summer break in in a month, but it's in the middle of this process as it's being proposed.
So the time frame can be directed by you but what we do is we follow the process of the executive firm. So they have a set process. So for instance this particular executive firm that we've selected and recommend this is something they do they've done for the state of Florida nationwide. This is not their first one. And so they set the process of working with you to create that candidate profile of what they're looking for. And then they start the marketing and advertising and reaching out through different types of marketing venues nationwide. And then they work with you um with the interviews to go ahead and get that short list. And then once that's done and you guys set the time frame of when you want to do the interviews in a in a public setting.
>> Okay. And I do understand that. I read the proposals, but my I guess I'm wondering at what point then are we actually giving that direction as far as the time frame or just general input into the process? Is it coming back to us as an agenda item at our next meeting? If this passes, where are we giving that formal input beyond just, you know, the one-on-one meetings?
>> Good question. So what we do is we work with the executive with the executive firm. I'll work with that firm and then when they have candidates or questions, they will meet with you oneon one. So you have that opportunity to also talk with them about those particular candidates.
>> Okay. So there's no timeline right now for when this is coming back for any input from this body together at a city commission meeting for the public to participate in. you would provide that direction to me of how you want that to flow. Okay.
>> That direction provided in the motion >> and the as the >> Yes. As uh that's option number one.
>> Yeah. As a maker of the motion since that that was the question that was raised in the agenda item. It's it's gives you all of the next steps.
>> That's right.
>> It's it's right there bulleted a bulleted list.
>> Okay. If I may, since it is still my time, I see everything. I read the item.
There's nothing that talks about when it comes back to us at the city commission level to give any input.
>> There's a lot of conversation that we decide that >> and the question was is it included in the motion and it hasn't been included in the motion.
>> The motion was to accept option number one. I made the motion authorizing the hiring and following the steps that are listed that are detailed.
>> And the steps do not include any guidance as to when this comes back to this body.
>> Amend the motion. Commissioner, >> I would like I tell you what. I tell you what, let me let me bring I got you. I got you. Commission reporter, will you please include and will the maker of the motion accept a friendly amendment that at the June meeting we have a very detailed account of where we are in the process with our consultant in what the next steps will be from there.
>> Yes.
>> Thank you.
>> And timeline.
>> In timeline. Yeah. And timeline. I think we're all on the same page here.
>> Yeah.
>> Commissioner Porter, does that suffice?
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yes. I I have a few more comments, but it wasn't a gotcha question. I was just genu just curious as far as what our role is in in this process. Um especially since a lot of the conversation has been about the timeline of all of this and and who who ultimately makes that decision. So when I see in the item that we're contemplating approximately 16 weeks, I would like to know is that something we're committing to by approving this motion today or will there be other opportunities to either slow down or speed up or change the process? There's nothing that I saw directly in just the executive level or the the highlevel overview that talks about that contemplates what we've done in the past where there were citizen comm community committees or other community engagement as part of this process. That's another thing that we could consider that I would encourage us to consider. I agree that I'm sure everyone wants the best candidate pool possible. I think that's really important. I have concerns about how we will achieve that if candidates know that within mere months of their appointment. If we move according to this timeline, they there is the potential that a majority of the commission be different than that appointed them. That is a concern for me. And although there is the option for a new commission to go in a different direction, that then is more time and instability and money that the city is spending on severance on a search if we go in that direction. I think it's imperative that we get this right. And I know we all agree, but I this is a big responsibility. this position is the most important position I would say the most important position in in city government running the operations. So, you know, I would like I don't think it's too much to ask that I know exactly what it is we're getting into and what that looks like. Um, what exactly at what point are we weighing in at all to the job description?
>> Mr. Mayor.
>> Sure.
>> Sandra, do you have the job des the general job description as it exists?
Maybe you could share that with the commission.
>> Sure. Well, so my question is, were any revisions made to the city manager 802 classification in July of 2018?
>> Anytime?
>> Yes.
>> Okay. So, that is the the kind of thing that I would like to review. What were those changes made?
>> So, anytime we do a um a search for any position, we always do an updated job spec to ensure that we have an updated one. And in 2018, we did some um updates in that that reflect statewide of what city manager job specs look like. And at that time, we changed the minimum training experience. We made it from a master's to a bachelor's. But in that, we add the language that possession of a bachelor's degree with an emphasis in public or business administration and at least 10 years of senior management experience in public administration, preferably with a municipality of similar size and complexity. a master's degree is preferred. So, we made that change so that we could be in line with other city manager job specs throughout the state.
>> Okay. Thank you. And that was the only change. Okay. Thank you. Um, separate related question. Does the city manager's contract need to come before the commission as part of this process for retirement? How does that work?
>> Not part of this process.
>> Okay. But I guess just as part of the city manager's retirement, does it have to come back to us at all?
>> What does, Madam Attorney?
>> That's just I'm just curious.
Commissioner, are you asking about the current city manager contract?
>> Yes. No, it does not. Okay.
>> But the future city manager contract typically what happens in that is that um >> you give authority for the city attorney to negotiate uh within certain parameters at the direction of the commission with the new city manager to execute that or the other appointed officials um to execute that.
>> Mr. Mayor on point.
>> Um Commissioner Whimscox on point >> with what the city attorney just said is the same process that was followed for the inspector general and the city attorney. This is the same process and I disagree that this position is uh the most important position because we have city attorney who who does her best to try to keep us out of trouble. We have a treasurer clerk who also has a very important role. So they all are important. That's to me we I want to make sure that you all understand y'all are valued too.
>> Yes.
>> Commissioner Portery, you have the you have the floor. I hope that we can all move beyond this like space we seem to be in where if one of us makes a point we have to be like, "Oh, by the way, I care about you more. I value you more. I respect you more." I hope it's understood that I respect all of the work that all of our staff and appointed officials do. And I think you understand as well. I would hope that one of the appointed officials is overseeing and managing thousands of employees. And I think that is different. So I meant no disrespect. I hope you believe that from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Um, so I feel I'm honestly would be more comfortable. I mean, I I don't really know how I feel to be honest about this. I I want to get started with a search, but I'm a little uncomfortable with what seems to be so little contemplation of community involvement and a clearer understanding of the checks that we will have as a commission as we move along this process. Um, especially knowing that we're about to take a summer break and the whole city kind of goes on a summer break as and I don't mean staff, I mean just people are thinking about other things and this is so critical and we want them involved.
So, I don't know if there's if my colleagues have any thoughts on that, but I will just say that I am concerned about the message we're sending if we impose artificial or arbitrary deadlines on this process.
um in order to have a certain commission make this decision over another. That that is concerning to me. And that has not been the process. By the way, I reviewed our agenda items from both 2015 and 2018 and that was not the process. I could read directly from those items, but it was always the expectation the last time this happened that the new commission would make this decision and it was only a a lastm minute change that resulted in the appointment of our current city manager. So, I do think it would be a mistake um to not take that seriously, but I would like I mean, can someone speak to ideas that they have about community engagement in this process?
>> Can we move with the motion and and then have that discussion?
>> We'll get to it. Commissioner Porter, I will tell you one of the ideas that I have is eventually we'll get down just like we did for the city manager and for the uh auditor general. we'll get down to five qualified candidates and then yes I I I see you know at least one or two town hall meetings informal come meet the candidates ask the questions that you have make sure that the community is involved absolutely that those are my ideas you ask for them >> so as part of the and thank you Mr. Mayor. So, as part of the motion that's been made, part of that direction is that an item is going to come back to us at our June meeting where we have a little bit more detail and can provide more feedback at that point.
>> Yes, ma'am. As amended, as I proposed, and it was accepted that at the June meeting that we're going to have a detailed schedule come back to us.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> Sounds great. Mr. Manager, you had comment?
>> Yes, sir. Mr. Mayor, I think just just for your thoughts and as you move forward on this that what's what staff HR staff has recommended is to hire a recruiter. The recruiter has outlined a general process that she's experienced with.
>> That does not set a deadline. I don't I don't think we should leave the impression that sets a deadline. Um what the recruiter is saying is here's generally the steps. Here's kind of in the weeks kind of as I I approach it. A lot of the early days are spent by the recruiter developing a process to recruit candidates.
>> And so that'll happen and she'll be out recruiting candidates. She'll make personal contact. They'll send emails.
They'll advertise. And many of us in this business, I know my colleagues on this DAS can attest to that. You will receive those kind of emails and that takes time. The summertime, frankly, is an ideal time to do that. Uh you don't tend to be in the early part of the year. you know, city managers and others in these industries are very busy.
They're doing certain things. And so that affords the recruiter while, you know, the mayor and commissioners and you're doing your thing on summer break or or or you know, as as you're separately going about your business, the recruiter is busily trying to get you candidates. That's that's a major milestone. And so that's kind of what happens. And then you're going to interact with the recruiter and express your preferences about how you culminate that process. You have all these candidates. How do you winnow down the candidates? We want to be very careful.
We want to make sure we do that within state law. All of those conversations are happening and you can kind of determine do you have enough candidates?
Are they adequate candidates? So that's the time a lot of the time on the front end is in the recruitment of candidates.
I will say that Commissioner Porter asked the question about the qualifications. If the commission wishes to change that, I would do that now. I mean, and and you don't have to tell us exactly the change. You could say, "Here's what I'm trying to achieve >> because that will establish a basis for how the recruiter approaches it." But but the early days of work, it's all on the recruiter. She's going to do the hard work. She's going to go get good candidates >> and she'll tell you if she has good candidates or not. I think that'll be and and you know, you've done this before. Um, so I just wanted to say that there's no hard deadlines and the recruiter's got to go do her work to get you candidates to consider.
>> Excellent. All right, we have an amended motion on the table. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed.
>> Passes four to one with Commissioner Matlo uh in descent. We are in recess till six o'clock public hearing.
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hearing of the Tallahassee City Commission to order.
We have two items before us at public hearing tonight.
>> Yeah, >> we are on item number 16.01. Madame Attorney, >> thank you, Mr. Mayor. Item number 16.01 01 is a public hearing of ordinance number 26-02, an ordinance of the city of Tallahassee adopting text amendments to the Tallahassee Leyon County 2050 comprehensive plan. Amending the intergovernmental coordination element adding text to policy 1.8.2 amending the land use and mobility element policy 2.810.10 10 suburban mixeduse commercial future land use category to clarify mayhem gateway corridor nodes amending the land use and mobility element policy 2.8.7 lake protection future land use category to identify residential density for the bannerman road bullhead road lake protection node providing for severability and conflicts and providing an effective date. The recommended action is option one. Conduct the first and only public hearing and adopt ordinance number 26-0-02.
>> Uh Mr. Cler, do we have any public comment on this item?
>> No, sir.
>> Looking for direction.
>> Move of staff recommendation.
>> Second.
>> It's been properly moved by Commissioner Williams Cox, seconded by the mayor pro Tim. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I.
>> All those opposed passes. Uh that's a nay.
>> Okay. passes 4 to1 with Commissioner Matlo in opposition. We're on item number 16.02.
>> Item number 16.02 is the first of two public hearings on ordinance number 26-08, an ordinance of the city of Tallahassee, Florida, amending chapters 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 10 of the land development code providing for conflicts, providing for severability, and providing for an effective date. The recommended action is option one. conduct the first public hearing and schedule the second and final public hearing for June 10, 2026 at 6 PM in the city of Tallahassee city commission chambers at city hall >> clerk do we have any public comment on this item >> no sir >> all right >> staff recommendation option number one Mr. Second. It's been properly moved by the mayor pro Tim, seconded by Commissioner Williams Cox. Any further discussion?
>> Seeing none. All those in favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> Any oppose?
>> Nay.
>> And it passes 41 with Commissioner Matlo in descent. Uh, that concludes the public hearing. Do we have any other items come before us?
>> We do not.
>> Public hearing is closed. We are now back on 30 minutes of unagended speakers. I know um we have um Dr. Owen Jackson who has some place to be. So, I'll let you go first. You have three minutes. Name and address for the record, please. You have um you have plenty of time to make your 615.
Good. Uh I've got I dropped off some books up there. Can those be distributed?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay, great.
>> That'd be helpful if you can distribute those. I could do it myself. I've been told not to get that close to the commissioners. Thank you very much. What I'm having distributed is a book that I wrote. It's called fighting the commission of corruption in Florida's capital city. I think this was uh important. We spent about 14 years of my life.
I started in late 2008 when a previous mayor was up to uh illegal unethical activities.
I started coming before the city commission to make a three-minute presentation.
Over the next 14 years, I made 160 threeminute presentations between 2008 and 2022.
We know the the story. Several people went to prison. Few more should have gone to prison.
But I wanted to document the side that the newspaper didn't report. Much of information in here will be new to people here on this commission.
And I wrote the book because I want people to remember. I've had so many people tell me, "Jackson, don't talk about this." The same people said, "Don't talk about it now." There's so many same people that said that Scott Maddox is our guy. He's a crook, but he'll work with us. Well, I think what will make our country, our country, our city better is that we never forget.
I wrote this so we won't forget.
This is our history, unfortunate as it is. But if we remember this, hopefully we won't repeat this in the future.
We've got an election coming up here pretty soon. I've been told Florida, city of Tallahassee in Florida, we as a community have to do better.
The FBI said, "We're the only city in the country that's managed to have three mayors elected in Tallahassee under federal criminal investigation at the same time.
Chicago hasn't achieved such a high ranking.
This, I hope, will not only be good for us to remember, but also we've have it documented, but we can also use it in the future. I also want to thank about 20 city employees because the city employees came through for us. Once they understood what I was doing standing here, they would get information, documents that I didn't even ex know existed. And so I want to thank those city employees because they play a very valuable, excruciating properly.
>> And so I'm hoping that the commission that you will enjoy reading it. I know, Mr. Mayor, that you have a collection of books from local authors and I think this would be a good one for your collection. Thank you uh each of you and have a good night.
>> Dr. Jackson, thank you. Now, ironically, you know, we can't take gifts. We have a zero gift policy. So, I tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to make sure that that book >> No, no, no. This is not a gift.
>> Mr. Mayor, if I might actually I've already had this discussion >> that Mr. Jackson is not uh and I don't think intends to be either a vendor or a lobbyist of the city. So, although it is a gift, it is not a prohibited gift. It would have to be reported if it was over a certain value.
>> What I was going to say >> and my goal and >> I will make sure that my copy stays with the office of the mayor long after my term here.
>> That's good. I think that'd be a good place for it. But keep in mind every new elected city and county commissioner uh will be getting one of these the next 20 years. I have that lined up in my trust. We have copies. My goal is to make sure that we can distribute at least 10,000 of these. Okay. Now, some I'm going to people are donating some money. Uh others I'm just uh printing, handing out.
>> Thank you. Thank you very much. Our next speaker, please.
>> You don't want them to forget.
>> Jackson Ner is our next speaker.
>> Followed by Stanley Sims.
>> Your name and address for the record, please.
>> Jackson Moulder, 32317.
The increased camera presence in Tallahassee will harm the average resident, particularly the use of third party cameras, AI, and data systems like Flock Safety. But by no means is this the only company at fault. Block Safety is a camera database and AI company that scans cars, license plates, bumper stickers, and now people's faces to construct a record of their location.
Block has claimed that they have never had a data breach nor significant vulnerabilities as both Commissioner Matlo and Chief Revel have mentioned during your uh January 14th city commission retreat. So either you could recognize that Flock has been skirting around their true vulnerabilities or they are both calling uh y'all liars.
Uh newly to their uh tech front, Flock has introduced Condor cameras, ones that have not only AI facial detection and recognition, but the ability to pan, tilt, and zoom into anything recognized in frame, particularly people's faces. A couple months ago, Glock published how their Condor cameras, the type used at community centers, parks, and children's playgrounds, were freely available on the internet for both recorded and live viewing pleasure. If you saw a random person sit down next to you at Tom Brown Park and start recording and live streaming every child there, would that be something you would be okay with? Or would you think it's for the greater good? Because what if that camera accidentally records a bad guy throwing a can on the ground or taking a Sharpie to his playground equipment?
Block claims to maintain access to your data only to provide their services. But Bob Carter, vice president of strategic relations and business development, has accu has accessed flocks camera network 185 times to watch, among other things, children doing gymnastics at his local community center. And he only makes up about uh uh currently a third of the daily increased number of searches made by nonauthorized law enforcement or non-authorized users.
None of this even begins to cover how their cloud-based system like many others have been famously breached a hundreds of times across from the the biggest health care systems like United Health Group in 2024 which impacted 200 million people to tech giants like Google, Apple, and Facebook having password leaks from over 16 billion accounts just last June or even the thousands of students who >> Canvas's instructure breach reach uh made vulnerable hundreds of thousands or thousands of students across Florida. You cannot have secure cloud platforms, but you can prevent private data from being collected, and you help keep prying eyes away from you and your family. I urge you to reconsider and cancel any contracts or agreements you have regarding the use of surveillance cameras from Flock, Axon, and Milestone.
Thank you.
>> Thank you. Our next speaker, please. Not seeing Stanley Sims. Our next speaker is Erica Bradley.
Erica Bradley.
>> Your name and address for the record, please.
>> Erica Bradley 32303.
Good evening, mayor and commissioners.
Um, I'm the founder of Cultivators Collective. Um, and it is a community agriculture educator and organizing uh committee um in business that serves Tallahassee um including the Griffin Heights and the greater Bond community. Um, I'm here tonight um to speak in support of the continued activation and investment in surrounding the Griffin Heights Marketplace initiative and the broader effort to restore equitable food access and economic um opportunity within historically underserved neighborhoods.
Over the past several months, neighborhood leaders, residents, myself, educators, growers, nonprofit leaders, and potential operators have been working collaboratively to prepare for the possibility of bringing a sustainable community centered market into operation. Uh this work included market analysis, financial planning, vendor outreach, workforce development discussions, a lot of fundraising strategies, and community engagement. We understand that there's still significant work ahead, including governance, compliance, and operational readiness, but the momentum and the community interests are very real. Um, you all have been sent emails with all of that research and information.
For many residents, uh, this is simply not about a grocery store. It's about dignity, access, jobs, and entrepreneurship.
We also want to recognize and appreciate the investments that have already uh been made uh throughout our communities um especially in the Griffin Heights area um including the neighborhood safety initiatives, the housing rehabil rehabilitation efforts and streetscaping investments. We believe that the marketplace has the potential to complement these investments and serve as an anchor for a broader community uh stabilization and economic activity. My goal tonight is simply to express support for continued collaboration, transparency, and responsible planning.
As these conversations move forward, you all will hear from me again.
>> Thank you.
>> Our next speaker, please.
>> Next speaker is Jill Harper and then Donald Glasper.
>> Your name and address for the record, please.
>> Hi, I'm Jill Harper and I live at 213 the name of the street, North Meridian Street. And I'm here tonight and I'm hoping that this um I forgot my notes and the students that I teach at Leyon told me not to use AI. So, I'm just going to shoot right from the heart. Um I after my husband died, I choose chose to move downtown. I live right on the corner of Tennessee and Meridian, across the street from where I work. I teach at all three of the community public schools and I'm a big proponent of public education because I think that's where learning to get along with those that are different starts.
>> But that being said, I think Curtis Richardson probably remembers that in 1991, that's hence the white hair, I founded an organization called Florida Arts and Community Enrichment. I am now teaching the children of my students and um I don't think they're bad children. I think they're bad decisions and we need to get our kids off the streets and into good programs. And that being said, I'm calling coming tonight because I cross the street several times every day to go teach. And the intersection of Meridian and Tennessee Street is a death trap.
And not only that, it should be renamed the Tallahassee 500 because at night we can hear motorcycles racing and cars racing down that road, but at 7:00 in the morning when school starts, every morning we stand on the corner and watch at least two cars run a red light. And I've addressed this with school resource officers. I've called the Tallahassee Police Department. And what I've been told is it's going to take a child getting killed for something to be done there. no crosswalks there. The kids run across the street to the gas station and um it's a matter of safety. That being said, um I'm also calling about coming to you about uh the quality of life issue. Our chain of parks are such a great resource. Our downtown area, people like myself, we choose to live down there. There's no way to get from Meridian Street, the bottom of the parks, all the way to the old s city cemetery, which is a jewel. Our parks are beautiful. We could should bring people into our city rather than make it difficult for them to come down. So, I want to um I want to say that for those of us that choose to live downtown, I feel like we're being >> 30 seconds.
Thank you all for being here at night.
>> You have 30 seconds, please.
>> This is a lesson in civics. Every time I come out here to speak, it it's almost scary the vitriol that comes. But you all are doing a wonderful job. I uh my children, I want them to want to come home. And when we drive from the airport down the corridor on Gain Street into our beautiful city, I have a question.
who approves all of this unchecked development.
>> And with that, I think a lot of us citizens here in Tallahassee would like to know. It seems like our commission might be in the business of real estate.
>> And that's it.
>> Thank you.
>> Our next speaker, please.
>> Next speaker is Donald Glasper.
Your name and address for the record, please.
>> My name is Donald Glasper. Uh, my address 10001 Clay Street, Griffin Heights Neighborhood, Griffin Heights Neighborhood Association.
Uh you have to first of all I want to thank you mayor commissioner uh for this opportunity to come before you and speak on behalf of the Griffin Heights Neighborhood Association.
Please excuse my attire.
>> I'm a working man.
I've been over in Griffin Heights actually working, knocking on doors, getting support, uh having residents to fill out surveys.
What do you want to see in this store?
How would you like to see it operating?
I'm here as an advocate for our association to operate that store. Who knows the customer base better than us?
Okay. And that's key as I look at our investment tax dollars, dollars that you all have allocated because in my view there was not uh a complete amount of input or involvement for the resident. If we look at it right now, and I go there every day, it's a soft target.
And what I mean by that, crime. If you don't get the right people in there that knows these residents, the best security camera that you can have is people.
Invest in your people. If you see something, say something. Those guys that sits in the bushes adjacent to them, >> I know them by name. They know me. They respect Mr. Glasper.
That pavilion is an educational jewel. We can teach young people how to how to cook, how to uh prepare meals.
You're >> 30 seconds. how to combat diabetes.
I could go on and on and on, but anybody else operating that store is a huge mistake.
Give us that opportunity. And please let me say this. Commissioner Cox has a saying that I love.
>> Excuse me. Your three months. A closed mouth does not get fed.
>> That's right.
>> Our ask is to come back before you on your June 10th meeting >> and you guys hold us up or down.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Thank you.
>> Our next speaker, please.
>> I have no further speakers. Mayor, >> is there anybody else here that would like to speak that have not had an opportunity to fill out a card? Okay.
This closes the unagended speakers item.
We are on commission discussion.
Commissioner Porter, we'll start with you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
To begin, I was wondering if anyone could provide a status update on um the progress with the Southwood um neighborhood that there. I know we're not at the deadline um that we talked about, but I'm wondering if there is any status update.
>> I I think the first benchmark was the >> right of way with NextG. So you I'm sure you can speak to it.
>> Sure. Excuse me. Uh and thanks for the opportunity to be here and speak on this. We've uh our next meeting on this with with the interested party or involved parties is tomorrow morning actually where we have been working through with um from the design phase right now we've just as of this week um war bass consulting is doing the engineering work um finalized where the storm water uh will need to go to accommodate this. So working out the details of that to then now follow up and do a detailed survey of that alignment to actually know what that rideway dedication is going to look like. Um, so there's been a lot of technical work done between city engineers, design professionals on behalf of St. Joe who's funding that and then we've talked through a conceptual agreement with um with NextG of what that rightway conveyance looks like. So we have um you know our our real estate manager is really the the guiding light on this. But in terms of how we typically do that which is for any other subdivision would be have an agreement in place for them to commit to to say once the work is completed then that that conveyance of rightway occurs which makes sense from a city standpoint to make sure everything's in place how we would want it before we're accepting that right away. Um so that has been drafted out and shared with NextGen and so that they have a lot of this is making sure that they have an understanding of how this this operates.
Um we've also had some good conversations with the uh represent lead representative from the CDD. Um that's important because they uh they manage all the storm water facilities uh in Southwood as part of the the development agreement there. Um, so they have an understanding of now that we'll be adding a pond, you know, within the greater southwood area for this small roadway segment. Um, and that they'll be expected to take that and they fully understand and accept that agreement.
So, um, at this point now it's it's final, you know, zeroing in on the final design, engineering design, and we're close to that, and then we'll start actually being to put put into place a a solidified, detailed agreement that reflects those those details. So, it's a lot of very good progress. Uh, I think we all are very there's been a lot of uh um initiative to get to where we are and and continue to make that. So, I'm confident that we'll be where we are hoping to be within that 60day window.
>> Okay. Thank you.
Um I also wanted to ask and it might be you who answers but I don't know whoever wants to answer. Um, it's my understanding that we've received a petition for the voluntary annexation of property north of Lake Jackson and I just was wondering if someone could speak to that and what the next steps are if that's coming if that's coming back to us or what to expect.
>> Sure, Mr. Man.
>> Yes, sir. Thank you, Commissioner. uh we have received that uh petition from the land owner uh and so the next step will be to bring it to the city commission at your June meeting. That will be an introduction of ordinance if I recall correctly. A part of the process also involves notifying the county clearly that the land is in the unincorporated area today. uh staff has done that, then the county has an opportunity to review it, provide comments if they if they desire to, but but it will be with an analysis um on your June meeting.
>> Okay.
>> On point, Mr. Mayor.
>> Commissioner M.
>> And just for clarification, that's for property that's not currently in the urban services area.
A portion of >> commissioner, subject to check, a portion of it is in the urban services area. A portion is not. Okay. Okay.
Yeah, we can we can have the conversation in June, but it would be highly unusual to annex land into the city. That's not even included in the urban services area. Thank you.
>> I I don't know that's the case, but we'll we'll of course include a full analysis.
>> Commissioner Porter, we're on your time.
>> Okay. Thank you. Um, and then I I did want to just give I don't really I know that I assume Commissioner Matlo has questions about this as well. I was wondering if someone could speak to where we are with the lead hazard reduction grant if there is an update and just sort of, you know, talk us through that.
>> Okay. Um, >> Mr. Mayor, that's my final issue. So, we can move on if others have questions.
>> Excellent. Mr. Dulan.
>> Yeah, Mr. Mr. Mayor, I'm going to ask um assistant city manager Dulan to provide the update. As you know, you received an email uh from Christian last week, I guess it would have been, with an update. He's been very active in it. He's got the latest and greatest. Uh and there's been a lot of conversation with HUD, the various folks at HUD to to make sure we answer their questions. Um, as you know, HUD placed the grant in the high-risk status, you know, and they laid out things that they were interested in in you being more comfortable with. And so that's been really a focus area of that. Mr. Dulan indicated and this is the case when when a grant is put into that status that if HUD is not satisfied we could lose the grant which might even involve repayment of funds we've received and so that that's the foundation of what was shared with you there's been a lot of discussion since um Christian please share with us the latest >> thank you manager mayor commission um and you asked about the status so as of last Friday when the city received the um high-risisk designation letter um that I shared with each of you. Um it it laid out essentially where we are today and where we need to be moving forward.
Um following the monitoring visit in March um and subsequent conversations, requests for more information um they issued this letter. The focus of this letter and the reasons they made the grant high-risk are three areas. The first is um around the outreach approach for identifying units to abate lead. The next would be the question cost reasonleness um market analysis and procurement and then um grant performance deficiencies as described in the letter. Um the letter then sets us in a mode and we're working directly with multiple folks in the office of lead hazard control to have bi-weekly meetings. Um and each one of those will have a report issued to the um to HUD.
Um we'll be providing updates on any subreients, vendors, properties. um how we're going to change our strategy, for instance, for identifying and and doing outreach to identify units to help evate lead. Um and an ongoing technical assistance from HUD. Um since also since that issuance of that letter, um the grant tech representative reached out to uh Kimell and I and we've been working over the weekend and we got them um more information for a data request and and this was three-fold um well really in two areas. One is in the property manager's official record of when units were being worked and then the other was around clarification of um healthy homes assessments which are a little bit different than the lead um the lead identification and that test. It's a broader test to identify all a broader range of health hazards and those were all conducted and completed in late April um and and and have been uploaded in the system. But those were those were the two areas. Um we've answered those in line um and provided quite a bit of information. Miss Betty at Holton Street Apartments, she's the property manager.
Um she's um given us every every record she has and we've asked for and and that's also been uploaded. So as of now um we the if you read um this note also required that we authorize and we signed by today and that's been done. We signed it and with it we included an overview of all of the documentation that's been provided to date since the monitoring visit. It's been very extensive um a lot of information before the issuance of this letter. some of which began or addressed what was in the letter. But um what went out today was um the acceptance or authorization of the 1044, the high-risisk designation, and then um and then a a substantial narrative um kind of pulling all of our documentation together. That's the status now.
>> Thank you.
>> Um just one question. I others can ask questions as well. Um, I noticed that our quarterly scores had been low for several quarters. At what what are those scores measuring exactly?
And should corrective action been taken at that point or what what were those scores a signal of to us?
>> Sure. Um we've received scores throughout the duration of the grant which was awarded in 2022. Um some red, some green. Um it can indicate a a range of different elements of the grant. Um the compliance, the the effectiveness of the grant. um at times um earlier before the work was being done on Holton, it was about the pace of draw down um and and the identification or um doing more and drawing down more money and getting more done. Um and then as of late, um the Reds are identifying the the these other specific areas of the grant outreach, um reasonable costs and the documentation they had um in the weeks prior to the issuance of this and um and and we'll be learning more to be frank.
Um we'll be I'm sure we will be learning more when we have our first meeting.
>> Okay. Thank you. And I want to hear other people's questions, but I guess I am curious what we can learn from this as far as moving forward. Like as far as I know, and maybe you can tell me, were these scores directly reported to the city commission?
>> No. Uh across the life of the grant, this is part of an ongoing grant monitoring and and feedback from the technical representative. And I would imagine is typical of um of most federal grants. There's a quarterly assessment and feedback. Um and those those have not come before the commission.
>> And I guess what I'm getting at is and I don't live in the grant world like those who are doing the work. So, I don't always know what's standard or not standard, but it seems to me if we are in a position where four quarters in a row were receiving lower scores, lower than certainly desired scores or in the red as you're saying, at some point it seems like this should come to the commission for a discussion um so that we're not in the position that we're in now. And maybe there's or do you have any thoughts about that?
I mean, I'm not holding you specifically responsible for this, but is there a connection between action I mean, it seems like there's action that could have been taken um that perhaps wasn't.
So, it it seems and that's I don't know if that's a question to you. I'm just putting it on our radar. I don't know if there's best practices for oversight of this. I mean, ideally, it's happening internally with those who are working most closely with the grant, but it seems to me like it's something that um was inching in that direction and maybe in the future needs to kind of sound alarm bells before we get to this point.
>> Go ahead, >> M. We'll just move right into Commissioner Matlo. Your time.
>> Uh and thank you. And and Mr. Danov, a few questions. I I do want to um apologize uh Mr. City Manager. I think in a me message I mentioned your brother-in-law. I think that was based on bad information and do you want to retract that and apologize? Uh Mr. Dulan, Mr. Mayor.
>> Uh yes, >> Mr. Mayor.
>> I I think Mr. Madlo, thank you for saying that.
The the gentleman you referenced is not related to me. I think it's important to acknowledge who he is. I agree. This is it was really an important thing and it's really kind of shook him. I'm glad you said this.
>> The the gentleman's name is Adam Jacobs.
We are not related. He works in the department in in housing and and and I do I didn't see it myself, but I do understand it was on social media. Ju just to be clear if you're saying that I think that's important you say. I think it'll go a long way with him because he's been asked about this and it's kind of startling to him. Just just want to be clear and not drive past that so fast.
The gentleman's name is Adam Jacobs is not related to me and it was asserted that he and I worked together in some nefarious way in your social media post and that's not the case.
>> Okay. Yeah. And and I do and as as I mentioned I'm retracting the statement about uh your brother-in-law to my questions on the issue because >> Mr. Mayor he's not he's not my brother-in-law.
>> No, I understand. I understand.
>> I'm sorry. I don't I'm not trying to be with you he's not referenced to mean >> I referenced him as part of this item and I'm going to ask those questions but unrelated I'm I understand referencing it he was the person who approved these transactions correct >> no not no that's a deep somebody else can answer that that's smarter than me but I just want to be clear because he's not related to me >> understood >> okay you the record is very clear thank you so Christian >> we have $8,400 per door of and a multi-million dollar grant intended to remedy uh leadbased hazards and for where poor children live. So, it's very concerning that we've gotten to a point where uh this grant has played out to where we're in a high-risisk status. I saw your email that you immediately suspended um the program. So I I take that to mean and would you agree that we weren't following the guidelines HUD had laid out and that's why we suspended it.
>> Um the high-risisk designation grant um is is pointing at areas so they would like us to do a different kind of outreach. Um they didn't they didn't say that um we didn't follow guidance by focusing on a multifamily um uh uh property. Um, but they did say they'd like us to coordinate more with local health and our community partners.
Um, and maybe not only multifamily. I I can't say that that was not following their guidelines. Um, but they're they're encouraging us for new and different ways of outreach on that. And and I could give more examples of um of of the kind of assistance and guidance they're giving us now.
>> Okay. And there was a report today of a whistleblower who mentioned um letting staff know that we weren't following the guidelines of HUD and was dismissed within a few a few months. And that's highly concerning um to me. We'll let that process um play out. But it would seem to be on face value if those allegations are true. there was some awareness raised within the office that the guidelines weren't being met, that the contractor wasn't EPA certified when this work began um and was being issued payments under a HUD grant that they wouldn't be eligible for, which I assume is why we may be on the hook um to pay it back. So, in your review of this item, do can you help us understand where we went wrong? Where was the breakdown in staff in delivering this based on the guidelines of HUD?
Yeah, I' I'd like to address a few things. Um, and I I read the article this morning myself. Um, and just so you know, I I don't have a letter of a whistleblower and uh all of my work with HUD uh has not been operating with any insight into that letter. They've given us a lot of questions for information and they do address um some of the areas you're looking for insight. Um, and you know, if you want to drive into any specific one, I'd be I'd be glad to talk. I mean, where we went wrong.
Again, I I'm I'm looking at this um letter from HUD and it's talking about outreach. I'd be glad to talk to you about that. Um, questionable cost reasonleness, the procurement, any of these, I' I'd be glad to give you more detail.
>> Sure. Um so can you speak to the certification BPA certification of the contractor at the time the work was completed and started?
>> Sure. Um all right I um mentioned that we've provided quite a bit of documentation.
They asked for our procurement process licenses and um we've prepared a very good overview of that. Um, and I'm going to read a little bit of the sections related to your question about certifications.
Um, and and and the reason I'm going to read this is because, um, if I just try to remember it all off the top, um, you know, I'm going to miss very important information to give you for your question. Um so for licensing and verification of the contractor licensing um when the city receives bids procurement staff verify that each respondent possesses the appropriate and active contractor licensing certifications regulatory qualifications required under the solicitation.
This procurement review includes confirmation of applicable state of Florida contractor licenses. It includes specialty leadbased paint certifications. It includes EPA certifications. Uh any other required credentials identified by the um RFP and as part of their bid response, Chief Cornerstone Construction provided a copy of their EPA certification that's been provided um to HUD to conduct renovation, repair, and painting activities. And that was pursuant to 40 CFR part 745.
And they gave that on November 21st, 2024. When was the work when was the first door? Uh when were they engaged to do the work on the first door?
>> The first door would have been the contract was signed and and I can I can I can give you that as well. Um and it would have been in in September. So I'm going to give you the kind of I'm about to get to that as well. Um so in in effective 20 November 21 2024 through December 5th 2029 um they they furish that EPA certification per procurement staff also look at licensing status through the appropriate state and regulatory databases to confirm business licenses are active. They're in good standing. They're authorized for scope of work being performed. Um they verify contractor licensing and certifications are not limited to the initial that's not limited to the initial bid review process. Throughout the period of performance contractors are required to maintain all applicable credentials while performing work on behalf of the city. Um any lapse, suspension, expiration or regulatory issue. They have to notify the city as soon as possible rectify the issue. Prior to the start of the remediation work, uh the grant program manager at the time had another supervisor level certification uh to provide on-site supervision and training for lead abatement. So that was another certification on our project and that was separate from the contractor's required certification at the time of bidding. Shortly after that work began, the city notified the contractor on September 17th, 2025 that they needed to complete an additional 40-hour EPA lead abatement supervisor certification. Um, and that was after a initial few days of work on doors. Work was temporarily suspended at that time.
>> Just for a clarification, if you'd stop for a moment, >> let let him finish. Commissioner statement, >> Mr. Mayor, it's on point to where he's at in the statement. is coming back and it's I'm almost done commissioner for the certifications. It it it basically in September 17th um the work was temporarily suspended um in 2025 and then the contractor completed the required training on October 3rd on 2025 and was thereafter allowed to resume work. Okay. So, how did we get to a point where a contractor without the required certification is doing work under this grant in September without the certification until November? How did that get approved through the city?
>> All of the all of the approve everything that was in the RFP, all required licenses and and all >> in November, you said in November the RFP >> November would have been 2024.
>> Sure.
>> Right. Procurement reviews, we get into the work. our program manager had a supervisor level uh uh and and and we saw that they don't have one. We checked in with the HUD and when it was clear they weren't, we paused all work >> and we moved forward. We move forward.
He got the went to Jacksonville, got the certification and then we began again.
>> So, you're saying the contractor misrepresented having the certification when they started this work?
>> No. No, I'm not. Help me under help help me explain if they had to if they got the certification after the work began.
There are um there are cert different certifications required for different grants and this work can be done under a whole host of grants. Um under the lead hazard certification grant there are specific requirements and in other and others it this level is not required. My understanding is that the contractor has had this certification. They're on the website um now and and under EPA certification can do do the work. Um but the funding requirements of this grant required him to have another layer of certification and as soon as that was identified, he stopped and we got it.
And that was after uh I want to say it several days, two days, three days of of door work.
>> Okay. And do you have a program manager that oversees uh these grants that are knowledgeable about the HUD requirements?
>> Absolutely. And that that gets put together with procurement um and the department and I can I can um I' I'd love to discuss that as well the origin of that. Um so this is going to be the March 25th time frame for the procurement um through August 18th. Um the city through it procurement services office drafted and released a request for proposals on March 25th, 2025 seeking qualified qualified contractors to support the healthy homes Tallahassee rehabilitation project and perform lead abatement work associated with the healthy homes grant program. The RFP solicited proposals from qualified contractors responsible for the abatement and removal of lead-based paint and/or renovation, repair, and painting work in homes selected for participation in the program.
Respondents were required to possess EPA certification under the Toxic Substances Control Act and maintain certification to conduct leadbased paint renovation, repair, and painting activities pursuant to the CFR parts 74589 and 745226.
Under the solicitation, the selected respondents would perform work at selected locations up to 200 housing units. Um, there was a requirement that the first 50 would be done within 30 days of all contract execution. All work was to be performed in accordance with the scope of services developed by an EPA certified risk assessor and inspector. The selected contractor would act on behalf of the city to provide remediation, removal, specialized cleaning, repairs, renovation, painting, interim controls, and other lead hazard reduction services for participating homes. additional work to address health and safety hazards, including minor repairs, rehabilitation that could also be negotiated on a unit-by-unit basis.
The contractor was required to furnish all personnel, equipment, material supplies, subcontractors, disposal services necessary to complete the work, including remediation of lead contaminated paint, dust, soil hazards.
The respondent was also required to maintain all applicable EPA, DP, OSHA, and state of Florida licenses, certifications, and training for leadbased paint abatement and RRP, which I mentioned is the uh renovation repair and painting supervisors and workers, including a current Florida contractor's license and specialty leadbased paint license throughout the duration of the contract.
Additionally, the contractor was required to maintain continuous communication with city staff regarding scheduling, reporting, and resident coordination, develop implement standard operating procedures suitable to the department's program requirements, and obtain all required permits and regulatory approvals from the city, EPA, OSHA, and other applicable agencies. The primary scope of work initially focused on remediation of leadbased paint at the at both 2500 Holton Street. This is in the RFP and 503 Palm Beach Street. Those properties were identified based on emails notifies sent to the community and also um their expressed interest in the city's housing services including this leadbased paint money.
The respondent was required to perform all work in a timely manner in accordance with project specific specifications, provide a firm fixed price, a schedule for each assigned property, and identify daily work areas and anticipated project timelines based on the leadbased paint inspection and risk assessment findings. The selected contractor would perform applicable lead hazard reduction activities including paint film stabilization, removal of leadbased paint, replacement and disposal of contaminated building components, enclosure of lead coated surfaces, and HEPA filtered cleaning of impacted areas uh to remove paint chips and lead dust hazards during the actual work. The RFP closed on April 14th with 15 firms viewing the solicitation through the city of Tallahassee procurement portal. And of those 15, four were identified as construction related companies. Those included Chief Cornerstone Construction, HERS Development, Prism Painting, and Thomas Line Stripping LLC. Procurement staff also conducted direct outreach efforts prior to and following a mandatory pre-bid meeting and sent vendor in invitations directly to both Chief Cornerstone Construction and Simpson Environmental Services. Uh that was through Bonfire. Ultimately, one one responsive bidder, Chief Cornerstone Construction Company, attended that mandatory pre-bid meeting and they submitted a responsive proposal on April 13th, 2025. Chief Cornerstone Construction Company is listed on the EPA's registry of certified lead professionals authorized to perform lead renovation, repair, and painting services. The contractor provided a copy of their EPA certification as I mentioned before and it was valid through December 5th, 2029 as part of their bid response. Prior to awarding the single respondent, procurement services staff conducted additional outreach to firms that viewed the solicitation but elected not to submit a proposal as documented in the one bid just justification form. Another form I gave to HUD. Hers development, Martin Robert Construction, Mills and McKinnon contractors and Simpson Environmental Services confirmed their decisions not to submit responses. The valuation committee then reviewed their con and confirmed their decision not um sorry reviewed the single response and was advised of four options. So the committee had four options at that point because they have a single bidder. The first was to make an award. The second would be to delay the award to seek out clarifying information.
The third would be to shortlist the vendors for oral presentations or reject all proposals. The proposal was evaluated and the evaluation committee elected to award to the sole respondent following the evaluation committee review outreach to the other non-responsive firms review of the single submission and consideration of preliminary quote obtained from another EPA certified professional. The city determined that Chief Cornerstone Construction and the their proposal was acceptable. As a result, the city issued the notice of intended decision and a recommendation of award. The city commission approved the procurement process and selection of the contractor on May 14th, 2025.
>> A contract was subsequently executed with the chief cornerstone construction in August 18th, 2025 for 2.38 million and work then commenced in September 2025.
Once the work com commenced, the contractor requested and approved a change order that was based on previously unknown site conditions that required more extensive work. All of that process led to um you know that's when we first received those certifications and of course as I read you you've heard all of the requirements and the different agency certifications um that were a part of that that they furbished and um and then when it was made known um the after 2 days 3 days of work they stopped they went and got the the a supervisor level certification um as soon as it is made aware.
>> Do you think $8,400 per door is a reasonable price?
>> Um it is a question I have heard um I quite a bit in the last 14 days. Um I've learned um quite a bit about leadbased paint remediation. Um it is a it is a part of the HUD's um high-risisk designation letter and and I' I' I'd read it here um based on documentation reviewed during the monitoring visit in in uh March rehabilitation work conducted on Holton Street involved limited interventions and just as front door replacements at an approximate cost of $8,400 per door. Um, in this um part I I'd like to uh read here. It's it's shorter than the procurement part. Um, and I don't believe this documentation was provided at the time of the visit.
It's been provided now. Um, and it certainly is a part of the narrative we submitted today and our ongoing conversations.
Um, in advance of the procurement, in advance of the city's healthy homes Tallahassee rehabilitation project solicitation, project staff used an online tool. It's called the EPA leadbased paint professional locator to identify HUD approved vendors with lead certification operating in the Tallahassee region.
staff inquired about their scope of services and requested pre preliminary quotes for various lead abatement services. Specifically, in October 2024, the city received two quotes from Simpson Environmental Services. The first quote was for lead removal and door replacement of approximately 160 doors and lead-based paint encapsulation. So that's not you're not removing it, you're covering it and containing the lead. Um of approximately 40 more. That quote from Simpson Environmental was 1.592 a little more than that million dollars. The second quote was for lead paint stabilization only 200 doors. That was for $383,000.
The quotes reflect this breakdown of cost um per door, shall we say? And to your question, per door.
Paint stabilization per door in that prior quote before the RFP was run was $1,915.
Lead removal and door replacement based on that other firm's quote was $9,47459 per door. So that effort, through that effort, the city gained a better understanding of the anticipated scope of what they would put together for RFP um and costs which informed the development of an RFP. Um obviously you've heard we fully ran a competitive solicitation. It resulted in a cost that was less than the quotes that we received off of the EPA's online tool.
Um and so to your question, I would answer it. it is the cost and it's it's a cost um that has the context of a quote and a competitively run solicitation and we will be you know we've this has all been provided to HUD and uh we will continue to talk to them about this >> okay and and and I appreciate that uh to me that is an absurd price per door uh HUD's letter calls into question the reasonleness of the procurement whether no justification was provided for market comparisons, procurement justifications or verification of contractor licensing during the period of performance. I think none of those issues seem to have been um fully addressed or recognized. I find the answers to be wholly unsatisfactory. Um I guess my final question is have have you done an internal staff review or is there a criminal investigation uh into what took place here?
>> Mr. Mayor, excuse me. Um, if if there is a criminal investigation or other investigation related to whistleblowing, those both would be considered confidential and not to be discussed at this meeting.
>> Okay. If there's not a criminal investigation, we can discuss it.
>> Madam Attorney, >> I wouldn't uh I don't think it's appropriate to acknowledge or not acknowledge whether there is a criminal investigation.
>> Okay. Uh thank thank you, Madam Attorney. Uh thank you uh Mr. Dulan. Um, for for what it's worth, it's clear we need a lot more information about what happened here. Um, I'll move on to my next item. Uh, Mr. Mayor, the flea market on North Monroe. I know there's been some, um, contentious conversations between a neighboring property owner based on traffic uh, as well as, uh, the flea market provider uh, seems unfairly uh, targeted by code enforcement. I'm trying to figure out how we get to um, compliance. I I I've gotten all the emails, Christian, about the code enforcement process. I'm a bit perplexed because it is popup tailgating tents that then get removed. I'm not sure how that's similar to farmers markets we have in Frenchtown and and and around the city. How this is different, but really my question is how do we get to where we need to go? So, I think we all want to see the flea market to be able to operate uh within the balance of what they're trying to do, not impact the neighbors, but can anybody explain where we're at and then how do we get to that solution?
>> Mr. Mayor, let me ask either Mr. Reic or Mr. Dulan um to lay out the process. This has been before the code magistrate. the required steps are clear, you know, and so John, tell us tell us where we are and what the steps are that need to be satisfied by the operator.
>> Sure. Thank you for that question, Commissioner. Um, we've have had a lot of recent conversations with the operator. I know the code enforcement action is technically against the owner of the property. Um they have uh submitted the this temporary use permit which gives an opportunity to see um make sure there's u basic zoning and traffic circulation and and life safety standards are met for any sort of whether it's a pop-up event or um or something more permanent that we look at for for a number of events. And we look at in a number of different ways depending on where they're located. But um the owner has taken that step submitted their their basic layout of what they intend to do you know weekend after you know in succession um and provide us the opportunity to provide feedback. We gave them that initial feedback. There were some some um items between you know my staff and and um and fire department staff who who looks at that for life safety purposes. Um some areas for improvement on how they would lay out um on the weekends there. Um so what we look for now is for respond adjust kind of their their plan set up how they arrange in that parking lot. Um things that would be like not blocking off drive aisles with food trucks for example things where it's like our limitless let's maintain a basic circulation through the site in case it needs to be accessible by an emergency vehicle or something like that. And again that's typical for anytime we're looking at something like this. Um so if they can make those adjustments then our typical process be issue that permit and allow them to you know give them the entitlement to be able to operate how they how they are hoping to there. So there is progress. Again we've had recent conversations yesterday immediately following that feedback of talking to to the operators on the phone walking through what our what our responses were there so they understand what adjustments would need to be made for them to to be able to get that permit issued.
>> Okay.
>> It's good progress there.
>> Do do you know the time frame? So, does the ball in their court are they waiting >> in their court and with the the simplified nature of what we're asking for? It's not a it shouldn't be a complex timeline for them to be able to make those adjustments and get it back to us. Um, so it is in their court and we expect that to be a quick turnaround based on what we asked for.
>> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate it.
>> Yep.
>> Uh, my next item, um, Mr. Mayor, and I think it's time to review the school zone speed cameras uh in in our community. I think these have impacted uh negatively impacted a lot of people outside of the intent of public safety.
Uh particularly the amount of tickets folks have gotten uh when the lights are not flashing, school is in session, there's no students um outside and are still receiving uh tickets. Some people have contacted our office have exceeded over eight tickets before even getting one uh in in the mail uh because of the process the time it takes to actually get notified that you may be in violation and they're turning off side streets so they weren't even aware that they were in the zone right away and those sorts of things. So I think there's a lot of complications from it.
But I think ultimately a lot of people who are just struggling to make ends meet right now are getting $100 fines in their mailbox. And for a lot of people, that's a full day's work. I think this is too punitive for what we're trying to accomplish. I think there's better ways to slow traffic in school zones through um road design. And frankly, I think law enforcement is great at being able to use discretion. I think there's a difference between ripping 40 miles hour through a school zone versus maybe accelerating to 25 just when you exit it and a camera can can catch you. uh you know I think these things require the nuance because we're charging uh last we saw hundreds of thousands of dollars um to the general public and I don't think we're seeing safety outcomes from it and further I think there was a a case in Broward that ruled on the red light cameras ruling them unconstitutional because the burden was placed on the property owner of the car to identify the driver. I think those similar concerns could be expressed uh with this program as well. I think it was worth the the effort. People tried. I opposed putting it into place to begin with, but I would like to make a motion that we bring back an item to review that decision, look at terminating our contract with the vendor and rescending the ordinance that implemented it.
>> Motion on table. Is there a second?
>> Is there a second?
>> Yes, I second it.
>> Second by Commissioner Porter. Further comment.
I for one want to encourage everyone that is within the sound of my voice to slow down during school zones when school is in session.
>> Yes.
>> I am happy with the camera program and I'll be voting against the motion. All those in favor of the motion signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> All those opposed.
>> I.
>> The motion fails 3 to2 with the mayor, Mayor Pro Tim, and Commissioner Williams Cox in descent. Please slow down in school zones. Let's be safe, folks.
>> Commissioner Matlo, you have the floor.
Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. And and final item, Mr. Manager. Uh, we heard from folks from Griffin Heights today. Can we get an update on the process of that, where we're at on it, when it'll come for city review?
>> Mr. Mayor, >> um, Commissioner Williams Cox has been at the tip of this fear way back to when there was a decision to build this facility.
And um if you wouldn't mind, Commissioner Williams Cox, can I can I toss that ball to you just to give an update from your point of view?
>> Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. U Mr. Manager, uh Commissioner Matllo, the the individuals who were here today were here because of the meeting that I had with them last week with staff to um look at the possibility of the um neighborhood association actually running a store. We have met with them on um probably two or three different occasions um at this point and um staff is looking they've asked us to pause the RFP process to give them a chance to um put some things together to see if it's something that could be viable and I believe um staff has has reviewed what they've sent. You heard them talking about it today. They they are reviewing what they sent. They're providing a list of questions and u any deficiencies so that they can get a good feel for whether it is something that they can do or not. Um you heard Mr. Glasper say they're going through the neighborhood because um what what is happening is that they there is all the all the funding is money from the neighborhood first program. there's no other source of funding that has been identified and so they're working with people to try to figure out if they can readjust the budget that we approve for them to move forward with. Um so they they're going to go back to their neighborhood to try to get buy in to make that change and then they will bring it back to us to see if it's something that we can do to to allow them to be able to have the funding uh reallocated to do what they're trying to do. it has been expressed to them that this the store is finished and he he said it's a soft target. We've got to get that store occupied and get get it um activated and so um staff is reviewing what they have provided and to see if it's something that may be a viable option if and then if not if not like he said they're going to come on June 10th to bring um their information and to vote up or down. uh we've got to get the store operating um before it does be falls into um into bad hands. So that's that's where we are.
Like I said, we met last week and they're doing they're doing their work to to try to make make the case for the community to do it. I will say that I got a call just today, just before this commission meeting from a member of the neighborhood, member of the uh the CAT team who has some real concerns about whether they are going to be able to do this or not. So there is still some discussions to be had within the community, but likewise um our staff is looking at it to see if it's a if there if if it's viable and if not the RFP process will continue to find someone to operate and run that store.
>> Commissioner Matlo.
>> Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor, and thank you for that update, Commissioner Williams Cox. I think that's very helpful. Um I would like to see us >> One second. Uh, I would like to see us discuss uh this item more. You know, I'm not I am not privy to the proposals by the neighborhood association, but I do think we should figure out a way to bring this door to fruition uh in tandem with the folks in the neighborhood, whether that's in partnership with the city um directly and in and guiding the way, putting up the guard rails and and the training necessary to put it into place. and then or bringing in the experts to help stand up a new facility.
Maybe we need to put out an RFP for folks who can come in with the expertise to provide uh training in the baseline model for it to um operate. I I don't think we should just put it out to an R RFP um for the private sector. I don't think we likelihood of success of getting somebody who wants to just bring groceries and fresh foods to the neighborhood, I think, is is unlikely.
So, I'm looking for, you know, ways we can explore. Uh, maybe it's not exactly what the neighborhood's asking for, but maybe we can find a way to collaborate to bring this to fruition. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I think >> may I on point, please?
>> Commissioner Porter.
>> Um, so is this going to be an item at our next meeting in June or are they just coming during non-aggenda items to speak?
>> I can I can answer that.
>> I think I think that's the answer. Um, Commissioner Williams Cox did a good job of talking about the amount of effort into this and staff is reviewing, providing feedback. To the extent there is a viable uh proposal, if you will, which we would hope there would be, it it's the intent of staff to bring it to the commission in June, recognizing that your next meeting is until August. So, um, we want them to put their best foot forward, have something that you can act upon. Um and so that would be our intent to the extent we can get that far um with their proposal.
>> Okay. Thank you. So just to clarify that it would be an item on the agenda for discussion. Okay. Thank you.
>> And and I I'm cheering for them, but we've also got to realize that if they're not able to do it, we've got to get get that store activated.
>> Sure.
>> Because otherwise it it's going to be become something that we don't want it to become.
>> Uh nothing further. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
>> Okay. Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. I I want to I want to say um say this um um ACM Dulan um you did an outstanding job >> walking us through what is going on because unfortunately in this highly political time and season. Um and I'm going to say this that they're leaving but the the media is helping um helping things to to go in a direction that maybe they should not go. Mhm.
>> What we should be doing is informing and not inciting. And I see a lot of inciting.
>> Um someone does a whistleblower.
This happens all the time a lot of different places. But when when it happens here and someone says that someone did something with no proof, we run off to the presses with it. And we have nothing to back that up. You know, facts are facts and we need to stick to the facts. And when we're dealing with the federal government, you know, HUD was just the secretary of HUD was just being um interviewed in Congress just the other than the Senate just the other day. They're having issues. There are issues there. We we all are having issues. Are we doing things perfectly?
Probably not. But this is how we move forward. We find out where the gaps are.
We plug the gaps. We make we make it work. We don't drag people, individuals, and name names and all this kind of stuff because nobody gets up. No, none of I know none of our staff gets up every morning and say, "Let's let me go and see what I can do to make life terrible for folks." We got people who get up and do this every day, day in and day out. I think that what we've got to do is allow people opportunity to do their jobs. We got to allow HUD an opportunity to do their job because HUD didn't say they were investigating us.
It was an audit.
>> It happens all the time with grants. It was an audit. And in an audit, if there are findings, they tell you what the findings are and give you an opportunity to respond to them. But we've already gone to the investigation. We're talking about criminal activity. We got people relating to people that are not relating to. They've got people doing stuff and saying stuff. We're making accusations and and destroying people's reputation with no proof and no cause.
He here without sin, cast the first stone. We all could do better. And I just wish that we would do that before we go to social media and start blasting people that the media would stop. Just >> do the do the hard work. Dig deep. Find out. And if you don't know, don't say.
People who know are not talking. And that people who are talking don't know.
But it is imperative that we we talk about a divided commission, a divided city. Well, let's do what our best to make it unified. Let's stop um dragging people and and and let's treat people as as professionals. Our staff, highly trained, highly skilled, highly experienced, is doing this work.
And so, I appreciate you uh uh uh Doulan uh uh uh ACM Doulan for coming and sharing with us the facts of what HUD said, what we what they asked for, what we provided. And every time they ask for something, I know you're going to give them what they asked for. And if HUD wanted to shut this down, they could have done this already. But when we realized, and you said this just now, that when the contractor needed an additional level of certification, work was paused while they went to get that level that that work. I know this contractor and I know the family, this small business. I know them personally and they are not doing any criminal activity of trying to make a living. If you look at what they've done, they've done a lot of work in this community, not just with us, but with the Urban League and with other folks all over the place. Who wants to risk their reputation and their job for something like this? Let the whistleblower process do what it does? I know that there the attorney is is is speaking to the media and and people are gravitating, but I encourage us to to practice some restraint and let the process play itself out. Meanwhile, we got people who are very appreciative that somebody came by to try to remove the lead so that their children and them and they would not be exposed to this poison. And and when you read what the paper says, what the residents are saying, they're happy that someone came in and paid attention to them. I don't know what a door cost when you're when you're doing lead abatement. And it's not just a door.
There's there's additional work that needs to be done to to bring the lead out. We talked today about PAS. Imagine you you you touching doors with lead and your children are putting it in their mouth and their faces are eating it.
That's important. That's that's just as important. I'm not a lead a basement person professional, but as you pointed out, one of the quotes you got was higher than the one that is being done.
>> And if HUD had an issue with with with the cost of the door, they they would let us know that. So my point is this, let us take a deep breath, slow down.
Let's stop looking for a reason to poke and jab at one another. And let's let's unite our city by being patient with one another. And I and listen, I'm speaking to me too. I'm not talk I'm talking I'm saying it to me as well. Slow down and quit drawing conclusions assuming people are doing nefarious things. They are not. Some of these people who are involved in this I have known for many many years. Yes. many years and they have not changed one bit. They always trying to help people. So, let's give them the opportunity to do that before we go and and and tear up somebody's reputation because an apology doesn't always work. But at least you got one >> that sometimes you don't get an apology.
But say and do what you want to do, but just know that when you're pointing a finger at one at somebody, four are being pointed back at you. So, let's just slow down and let's do our best.
Let's do better. No one's going to want to come to our city to visit, to work, or anything because we are talking it down. We should be ambassadors for our city instead of looking for ways to make people look to embarrass people. That's not why I do this. So, I'm just saying, Mr. Mayor, thank you for the opportunity to to say this, and I hope that whoever hears this will appreciate that it's where it's coming from. And Commissioner Porter, I want to say to you that from um earlier tonight during our meeting and in any of our other meetings, if I've said something, and I know that I have said or done something that caused you pause to to uh hear what I have to say, I apologize for that. Commissioner Matlo, same to you. And I and Commissioner Richardson, Mayor, all the way down the line. Same to you all. If I've said something that caused you to feel a certain kind of way, that's never my intent. My intent is for clarity and for us to move forward together.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. That's all I got.
Mayor Pro.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And and and I guess first of all, what I'll say is well, let me put this information out there first. I recently attended the purpose-built communities conference in Jacksonville. I was a representative of our South City Foundation and they have a community-based grocery store in East Side Jacksonville.
Uh, Mr. City Manager, so we might want to get some information on we we passed the store, but they didn't give us an opportunity to go inside or to talk about the issue. So, that might be something we might want to take a look at and see how they actually have that uh running in in Jacksonville. Uh but but I also want to say ditto to what Commissioner Williams Cox has said. You know, it has bothered me uh because I I'm considered the dean of this this commission because of my longevity on the commission, but not so much that, but my faithfulness in serving this community in a legitimate way, almost 30 years of public service, and my name has not been associated with controversy uh or or illdoings.
And and so I I just want to put that out there first of all. Uh but we've we've even today we've heard where you know some very major issues have been discussed. The PAS issue and this issue of the HUD audit.
People's reputations have been put on the line. Comments have been uh made about uh uh uh uh certain people, certain businesses and their work. Uh, and it's been unfounded. It's been unfounded because you have to make sure that you have done all of the homework necessary to make those uh uh kinds of statements uh and quotes in the in the uh local media. Christian, I want to thank you as Ian Alyssa for the very indepth briefing that you all gave on the major issues that you have dealt with which made a whole it's very different than what we've read in the media and and and I you know as as Commissioner Williams Cox has said apologies don't always work when people's lives are impacted their reputations s are impacted. I can tell you we've got some of the most tremendous staff in particularly specifically in our housing department that you could ever want to work with. I have represented uh uh this commission on the AHAC committee and I get to work with them.
I've known Dr. Thomas since he and I worked in the school district in Gaston County. Uh I I know him personally uh as as as again as Commissioner Williams Cox has mentioned uh I have had a personal relationship and a familial relationship uh with Cornerstone and the owners David uh and Lily. Uh our kids went to school together at Florida High, so I've known them for a long time. They are upstanding individuals and business people in this community. And we have to recognize that and appreciate that before we go out casting uh uh unfounded uh uh accusations against them and their work or their intentions. Uh, and so I I would just caution us as we go forward to to make that the way we go forward is we get all of the information that's necessary to make those kinds of statements and and decisions.
And um so I will leave that where it is and I hope that it doesn't fall on deaf ears that we need to make sure that we're totally brief before we get out there making those kinds of uh statements and and and questioning bringing people's reputations uh into question.
>> Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Porter, you've had your opportunity, but I'll give you one more chance.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I just want to say that for for me, none of this is personal. The issue of certification was not had nothing to do with the business.
That had to do with the city. And I do think that we have an accountability problem in our city.
We have to own up to our mistakes account when we make them and we will make them because none of us is perfect.
I still don't know and I'm not going to ask these are rhetorical questions. Who is currently leading the grant in the department? Who worked with the vendor?
Who checked their certifications? Did we know they weren't adequate? If so, when did we know? Why didn't we pick a certified vendor? Why don't we do more outreach for the program? Do we need a pro another program manager? These are the kinds of questions that should follow an event like this. It is not the end of the world to ask those questions and to work together to problem solve.
That is what we are here for so that we can continue providing services like this grant allows us to provide that are life-changing and life-saving. This is not in conflict with accountability. It is essential to it.
And and Mr. Mayor, what I can say is I go to staff, Commissioner Porter, to get that kind of information before I go to the media with quotes and putting information on social media. I make sure that I have all the information that I need to make those kinds of decisions or to put that kind of information out there when I'm asked to quote. And so that's all I'm suggesting is that we all do that. We get with staff and we we we get this information before we make we make uh uh statements in the public on social media or in uh uh the newspapers or media.
So that's what I have on that. Several other things that I wanted to bring to everyone's attention that's coming up in the very near future. This Friday uh the 15th and 16th is the veteran standown which will be held at the Lawson Center. Uh it's an opportunity for the community to come together and provide uh information and services to our military veterans. And as you all know, I've got two beautiful daughters who are uh uh naval officers. one is a naval officer and one will become a naval officer after her graduation next year from the Naval Academy. And so, and I'm from a military family. My my father did 30 years in the Navy. I had four brothers that served in the Navy and two in the Air Force. And so, I I I have a particular affinity for those who have and I'm as I'm I'm sure all of us do, those who are who have served our country in the military. So that's coming up uh on Friday and Saturday. Uh there are several uh upcoming uh uh activities uh related to the emancipation day on May 20th. Uh this Saturday the 16th is the walk through living history in the Speed Spencer uh uh Speed Spencer Stevens Park on Saxon Street in the Bond community.
uh next week. Uh again, all of this is information that's out there. I won't go through everything item by item, but just to encourage you to be a part of that. On the 20th, of course, is a holiday for city employees so that you can uh uh uh attend those events.
>> Might be the last time.
>> It could be the la could be the last.
>> Don't say it. Don't say it for Sunday.
Uh yeah. So so I would encourage all of us to attend as many of those activities as you can. I have in the past. It's very informative and educational.
Uh and so I wanted to bring those to our attention. And then lastly, on Thursday, May 21st will be the homegoing service at Florida&M University for former interim uh president Castell Bryant who has passed away and gone on uh to be in heaven with our heavenly father. And so if you're able to attend those services, that will occur uh at Leeh Hall Auditorium on the Florida&M University campus.
That's all I had.
The last word, Commissioner Porter, I agree with you that we need accountability and that accountability starts with this body.
>> Right. Yeah.
And I'm going to be very formal and I'm going to be direct.
Commissioner Matlo, I encourage you to do some serious thinking.
And at the next meeting, publicly apologize and in written form and on social media. Mr. Adam Jacobs.
>> Point of order. Mr. Mayor, it's >> my turn to speak. You >> Your job is not to direct me, Mr. Mayor.
>> You are not recognized.
>> It's out of order, Mr. Mayor. Your actions were disgusting. Quite honestly, >> the fact that you thought you were doing a political target hit on the manager and look, he's the manager. He's used to it. We know your opinions on it. And you confused another employee who has a similar name, accused him of a felony on social media, on your official website is unbelievable and unacceptable.
People talk about this 32 split all the time. M >> we've never had this conversation, but I'm here to tell you it is not the majority that's creating a toxic work environment in this city hall.
And I'm calling Commissioner Matlo out.
He has created a toxic work environment from the manager's office down. These are bullying tactics.
When you take a gentleman who is one of the greatest urban farmers in a program that we love and believe in in this community and you go to social media as a sitting commissioner, use him of collusion, of a felony that if true and convicted, carries serious prison time.
You don't get to just roll an apology off your tongue at the end of the meeting. You messed up. We need to be accountable for our actions.
>> Quite frankly, me personally, I think Commissioner Matlo has set himself up for one of the greatest liable lawsuits against him.
>> Quite frankly and personally, I'm concerned about the liability and the exposure of the city of Tallahassee in this situation.
You've got a gentleman who woke up this morning to a nightmare situation whose family has been harassed. His kids have been harassed at their workplace just because Commissioner Matlo wanted to take a shot at the manager.
>> This has got to stop.
Now, Commissioner Matlo walked out and I understand, but I know he is inside listening to my voice right now.
And I know that you don't care for me, Jeremy, and that's fine.
But if you want to be the next mayor of Tallahassee, as the current mayor of Tallahassee, I expect more. I expect better leadership. And I expect someone that's truly going to carry this city forward and not accuse great men and women that work for our city frivolously, horrible things that are not true.
So again, I think a full apology is needed at the next city commission meeting. I hope he takes the opportunity to personally contact Adam Jacobs and apologize. The damage that Commissioner Matlo did to this incredible gentleman who I would run through a brick wall for. I have gotten to know Adam. I love Adam. He is one of the best professionals I've ever worked with. I can only imagine what he is going through and his family. Mhm.
>> Mr. Inspector General, I am extremely concerned about policy violations that have taken place, creation of a toxic work environment, the violation of the non-interference clause.
How we treat our employees.
I do think it is time for us to have a very hearty conversation of how this commission treats career service employees at the city of Tallahassee.
And have there been violations? Have there been policy violations? Have there been ethical violations?
Because this has to stop.
This has to stop.
Adam, if you're listening, I apologize as your mayor and I tried to reach out to you earlier today and I can only imagine what you are going through and you need to know you have my full support.
That's enough.
Meeting's adjourned.
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