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2021
Year in Review

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Letter from City Manager Reese Goad

Following our mission to be the national leader in the delivery of public service, the City continued to excel as we reopened and managed the ongoing effect of COVID-19 while meeting the needs of the community. We made significant progress on our strategic priorities, remaining on track with key targets in the Five-Year Strategic Plan. We also continued to build toward the City’s vision by taking proactive steps to ensure the strength of our community, the vibrancy of our neighborhoods, the economic growth of our region, and the preservation of our natural resources.

The City remained focused on the health of the Tallahassee community by actively engaging in vaccination and mitigation efforts. Working with health care experts, community leaders, and government partners, the City created public awareness campaigns, disseminated information about relief funds to residents, and hosted 24 vaccine clinics that administered 30,000 inoculations. To facilitate a safe reopening, we established new protocols for City-owned facilities, recreational activities, and co-sponsored events, keeping in step with CDC guidelines. We also proactively pursued federal grants and American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding to begin addressing the economic impacts of the pandemic. With leadership from the City Commission, we proposed a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) that allocates $18 million toward meeting critical community needs caused by COVID-19.

 

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our citizens continues to be at the heart of what we do. This year, we successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the International Association of Firefighters and the Florida Police Benevolent Association. We placed a special emphasis on mental health with the launch of three new programs, including the Tallahassee Emergency Assessment Mobile (TEAM). Within its first four months of operation, the TEAM unit, which is comprised of WHO, responded to 213 nonviolent 9-1-1 calls, successfully routing residents in mental health crises to the appropriate resources. Guided by our strategic plan and with direction from the Commission, we are also combating poverty and improving quality of life with impact-driven actions, such as the development of 1,036 new affordable housing units and the allocation of $6.27 million in ARP funding to homeless services in partnership with Leon County.

Additionally, we continue to open doors to economic opportunities for at-risk populations through initiatives such as TEMPO, which now serves 1,500 enrolled youth. This spring, 70 TEMPO participants earned their GED, the largest cohort in the history of the program. Consistent with our core values, we remain committed to providing exceptional citizen service.

Through strategic investments and unwavering service, this year we affirmed our positioning as a competitive, sustainable, and best-in-class capital city. We attracted over $840 million in private development, projected to bring more than 5,000 new jobs to Tallahassee. We supported our major educational institutions through new and improved facilities worth an investment of $160 million to attract new visitors and students. As a part of our commitment to equitable investment, the City provided over $2 million in residential façade improvement grants for 100 homes within the Greater Bond Neighborhood.

We obtained top awards for our environmental and sustainability efforts, including Gold-level LEED certification and the prestigious Florida Airport Council (FAC) J. Bryan Cooper Environmental Award for our airport-based solar farm. As the Best Public Utility in America, we won the prestigious System Achievement Award. We also earned industry recognition for having one of the Top Best Fleets in the nation and the Best Disc Golf Course in the state. As a national leader in public service, the City continues to fulfill its mission.

Looking ahead toward economic recovery, we stand well-positioned to become stronger and more resilient as an organization and city. I am optimistic about what the future holds. We will continue to take the necessary precautions regarding the coronavirus while moving forward in confidence with our Strategic Plan. The following list highlights key accomplishments achieved over the past year.

Reese Goad,
City Manager

Tallahassee at a glance

 

TO ACHIEVE
OUR VISION

THE TALLAHASSEE CITY COMMISSION IDENTIFIED SEVEN PRIORITY AREAS TO GUIDE SERVICE EFFORTS.

QUALITY OF LIFE
Be a creative and inclusive community with beautiful public spaces that protect and promote resources and cultures.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Advance the City of Tallahassee as a competitive, innovative and sustainable regional economic hub.

PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE
Be a leading publicly owned utility that supports a growing and progressive community. Be a city with an efficient public transit network supported by well-connected roads, sidewalks, transit amenities and public transportation.

PUBLIC SAFETY
Be a safe, resilient, inclusive community that works collectively to address issues.

IMPACT ON POVERTY
Be a leading community partner that actively connects residents to resources that remove economic and social barriers.

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Be an impact-focused workforce that is inclusive, pioneering and technology-driven.

PUBLIC TRUST
Enhance public trust through ethical business practices and transparency.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVEN PRIORITY AREAS outlined in the Strategic Plan, the City quickly adapted to changing circumstances in 2020 and leaned in to address the challenges presented by COVID-19. 2

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Suspended utility disconnects for non-payment and launched the payment deferment Utility Relief Program.

Provided an Electric Utility rate reduction of 27% in the month of May to all customers, which amounted to $6.3 million of utility relief assistance.

Provided $1 million of direct grants to assist impacted local small businesses via the Economic Disaster Relief (CEDR) grant program.

Provided $1 million of direct grants to assist impacted local nonprofits via the Local Emergency Assistance for Non-profits (LEAN) grant program.

Secured more than $30 million of federal grant funding through the CARES Act as part of COVID-19 Response and Recovery.

Provided $250,000 CRA grant program for businesses in the Greater Frenchtown / Southside district.

Developed a Homeless Taskforce GIS Dashboard to help manage and provide services to our homeless population.

Designed, produced and installed plexiglass partitions on StarMetro buses to protect employees from COVID-19.

Distributed more than 25,000 masks to workforce and citizens.

Implemented a virtual inspection program for mechanical changeout, gas, window and door inspections.

Implemented virtual meetings for the review and approval of permit applications, which enabled staff to maintain all scheduled meetings and provide the same performance standards for development review.

Converted remaining paper-based submissions — including residential, residential alterations and environmental management permits — to an electronic format.

Implemented the first eLearning program for Tallahassee Future Leaders Academy student participants.

Worked with medical community to establish the first COVID-19 drive-through collection site in the city and state.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Quality of
Life

Goal: To be a creative and inclusive community with beautiful public spaces that protects and promotes resources and culture.

While social interaction has changed since the start of the pandemic, the City has put forward multiple creative ways to help our community remain active and engaged. Fitness class organized by the Tallahassee Senior Center were aired on the City’s television station, WCOT-13. As more became known about how the virus was transmitted, the City began opening its recreational facilities for individuals to participate in low-capacity, outdoor sports like golf, swimming, and tennis. Gradually, protocols were implemented to safely resume other sports, including softball and soccer. The City also broadcast arts and crafts classes, unveiled new artful infrastructures, streamed concerts, and sponsored historic preservation initiatives and events. 2

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Economic
Development

Goal: To advance the City of Tallahassee as a competitive, innovative, and sustainable regional economic hub.

Economic Development

Despite the pandemic, the City maintained its competitive posture as a vibrant community for economic investment. This year, we made significant strides in paving a pathway for economic recovery and growth by optimizing permitting, strengthening public infrastructure, offering attractive incentive packages, and fostering new private development promising a strong outlook for economic growth and job creation.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Public
Infrastructure

Goal: To be the leading publicly owned utility that supports
a growing and progressive community.

Public Infrastructure

This year, the City of Tallahassee was one of only five cities in the world to achieve the highest designation for LEED certification and remains the only municipality to have received the best public electric utility award twice. Maintaining its standing as a leader in the delivery of public service, the City continues to prioritize sustainability and resilience as our community grows. 2

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Public
Safety

Goal: To be a safe, resilient, and inclusive community.

Our commitment to community-centered policing, citizen engagement, and youth continues to boost the public safety of our community. In 2020, we saw a 20.4 percent reduction in overall crime in Leon County from the previous year. This is a testament to the hard work of our Police Department and first responders, as well as proactive and preventative efforts like the TEMPO program. Over the past year, the City placed special emphasis on mental health services. The Tallahassee Police Department is now better equipped to adequately respond to calls where the priority is the mental stability of the individual.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Impact on
Poverty

Goal: To be a leading community partner that actively connects residents to resources that remove economic and social barriers.

This year, we continued to pull together as a community to tackle the impacts of the pandemic while remaining relentlessly focused on mitigating the impact of poverty on our residents. Through the TEMPO and TFLA programs, virtual job fairs, the City’s urban farm, and the development of new mental health programs, we are actively connecting residents to essential resources. With Commission direction, the City also invested significant funding in addressing housing and human service needs.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Organizational
Effectiveness

Goal: To be an impact-focused workforce that is inclusive, pioneering, and technology-driven.

The City prevailed in maintaining an excellent level of service during the pandemic thanks to the work ethic of our employees, our ability to innovate and drive process improvements, and our consistent performance in strong financial management. We proposed a balanced FY22 budget with a compensation package responsive to Commission direction. In a currently tight labor market, the proposed pay plan will ensure that we continue to attract and retain the best talent needed to sustain the City’s mission.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Public
Trust

Goal: To enhance public trust through ethical business practices and transparent governance.

The City continues to work diligently to enable trust through our business practices, transparent governance, and accountability. Over the past year, the City launched its first-ever Performance Dashboard, increased virtual access to public meetings to ensure continued community engagement despite COVID-19 restrictions, and continued to advance its diversity and inclusion targets. The City also created a Bystander App that provides greater transparency around police interactions.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In non nunc justo. Maecenas non libero in ligula semper interdum vel et ipsum. Proin a commodo leo. Praesent molestie metus at consequat tristique. Vivamus eget dui eleifend, dapibus elit auctor, dignissim nunc. Phasellus in nibh nunc. Vestibulum quis enim ut ligula rutrum ornare. Mauris vel vestibulum mi. Duis blandit iaculis arcu at hendrerit. Pellentesque enim massa, rhoncus quis pretium vel, viverra sit amet metus. Nullam velit lectus, posuere sit amet ornare a, volutpat at leo. Cras elit tortor, venenatis et convallis at, dignissim sed justo. Maecenas id urna dictum dui gravida sollicitudin sit amet ac libero.

Pellentesque venenatis sit amet leo id sollicitudin. Ut ac libero venenatis, ornare turpis non, condimentum nibh. Nulla vel faucibus nunc. Vivamus venenatis nulla a diam interdum, et congue nulla auctor. Fusce vestibulum, libero at congue porttitor, odio risus consequat dolor, in ornare augue elit sollicitudin eros. Nullam semper sem orci, quis euismod ligula sodales eu. In efficitur, lorem pharetra pellentesque lacinia, sapien est ultrices enim, a scelerisque dui neque a ante.

Tallahassee at a glance

 

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Tallahassee at a glance

 

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