City Commission Focused on Achieving Community Priorities
January 13, 2021
At its annual goal-setting retreat today, Jan. 13, the City Commission reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the community's priorities as outlined in the City of Tallahassee five-year Strategic Plan, with an emphasis on continued community engagement to meet the evolving needs of residents. The high-level priority areas include economic development, impact on poverty, organizational effectiveness, public infrastructure, public safety, public trust and quality of life.
The retreat began with one of the most pressing community issues – COVID-19. Following an update on the current local response and impact, Commissioners discussed the role the City can play in supporting local vaccination efforts. With a unanimous vote, the Commission directed staff to develop a communications plan to educate residents about COVID-19 vaccines and options for providing transit to help residents in need access vaccination sites.
The Commission also discussed next steps for helping the community balance health safety with the return of special events. Through unanimous vote, the Commission approved moving forward with consideration of special event requests, pending the applications include COVID-19 protocol plans. Large-scale special event requests for this spring and their COVID-19 protocol plans will be reviewed by a cross-functional team of City departments prior to being presented to the Commission for final approval.
As the largest provider of municipal services in the region, the Commission received an overview of local infrastructure. Over the course of 2020, the City significantly advanced and completed milestone projects, including roadways, sidewalks, sewer pipes replacement and more. In 2021, the City will continue to work on meeting the needs of the growing community, while seeking to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the economy through strategic infrastructure investments. This includes water, sewer and stormwater improvements in locations throughout the city; two comprehensive Pedestrian and Street Safety (PASS) projects; and electric and gas utility projects focused on furthering the City's clean energy goals.
The Commission also discussed the Southern Strategy Area, which is defined in the Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan, and voted unanimously to rename it the Southside Action Plan, pending concurrence of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners.
The next regular City Commission meeting will be held on Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. More information, including the agenda and how to submit public comment, will be posted on Talgov.com closer to the meeting date. Residents are encouraged to stay informed about City news by liking the City of Tallahassee on Facebook, following @CityofTLH on Twitter and signing up for the City's email subscription service.
Contact Information
Alison Faris, Communications Department, 850-891-8533