View Agenda '19'

Leon County
Board of County Commissioners
Agenda Item#19

January 27, 2026

To:	Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board

From:	Vincent S. Long, County Administrator

Title:	Full Board Appointments to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Council on Culture and Arts Board, and the Leon County Educational Facilities Authority

Review and Approval:	Vincent S. Long, County Administrator
Department/Division Review and Approval:	Ken Morris, Assistant County Administrator
Lead Staff/ Project Team:	Lisa Davis, Agenda Coordinator

Statement of Issue:

This item seeks the full Board’s consideration for the appointment of eligible applicants to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, the Council on Culture and Arts Board, and the Leon County Educational Facilities Authority.

Fiscal Impact:

This item has no fiscal impact.

Staff Recommendation:

Option #1: Appoint one eligible applicant to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, membership category ‘l’, for a three-year term ending on January 31, 2029.

Option #2: Appoint four eligible applicants to the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee for three-year terms ending on January 31, 2029.

Option #3: Appoint one nominated citizen to the City At-Large seat on the Council on Culture and Arts Board for the remainder of a four-year term ending on September 30, 2029.

Option #4: Appoint one eligible applicant to the Leon County Educational Facilities Authority for the remainder of a five-year term ending on July 31, 2030.

Report and Discussion

Background:

Pursuant to Policy No. 03-15, “Board-Appointed Citizen Committees” (Policy), a General Business item is presented to fill vacancies for full Board appointments of citizens to Authorities, Boards, Committees, and Councils.

Analysis:

Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC)

Purpose: The goal of the County’s AHAC is to identify affordable housing incentives and serve as an information resource to help improve affordable housing feasibility. The AHAC reviews the established policies and procedures, ordinances, land development regulations, and adopted comprehensive plan and recommends specific actions or initiatives to encourage or facilitate affordable housing.

As required by the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program, the AHAC provides an annual report on affordable housing incentives to the Board. Administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the SHIP Program provides funds to counties to finance and preserve affordable housing based on the locally adopted Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP). The SHIP Program targets very-low, low, and moderate-income households.

Composition: Per Section 420.9076(2), Florida Statutes, the AHAC membership is comprised of at least eight but not more than eleven members, including one County Commissioner, and must consist of one representative from at least six of the eligibility categories ‘a’ through ‘k’:

A. A citizen who is actively engaged in the residential home building industry in connection with affordable housing.

B. A citizen who is actively engaged in the banking or mortgage banking industry in connection with affordable housing.

C. A citizen who is a representative of those areas of labor actively engaged in home building in connection with affordable housing.

D. A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing.

E. A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing.

F. A citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing.

G. A citizen who is actively engaged as a real estate professional in connection with affordable housing.

H. A citizen who actively serves on the local planning agency pursuant to section 163.3174, Florida Statutes.

I. A citizen who resides within the jurisdiction of the local governing body making the appointments.

J. A citizen who represents employers within the jurisdiction.

K. A citizen who represents essential services personnel, as defined in the local housing assistance plan (Essential Service Personnel includes teachers and educators; other school district, community college, and university employee; police and fire personnel; health care personnel; skilled building trades personnel; and active U.S. Armed Forces Service Members).

L. A citizen who currently benefits from a rental housing assistance program, has benefited from an affordable homeownership program, or has experienced an eviction within the 10 years preceding their appointment.

On September 17, 2024, the Board adopted an Ordinance amending Chapter 8, Article V, Section 8-156, of the Leon County Code of Laws to add the new membership category ‘l’ to the AHAC Committee to ensure representation by a citizen that has benefitted from an affordable homeownership program or has experienced an eviction from their home. Ms. Kentisha James was appointed by the Board to fulfill this new membership category for a partial term which expires later this month.

With the exception of the County Commissioner member, who serves a two-year term, members serve for three year terms, and are limited to three full consecutive terms pursuant to the Policy. Vacancies are filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. Currently, Commissioner Nick Maddox serves as the Board’s representative on the AHAC.

Diversity of Current Membership:

Total Seats

Vacant Seats

Gender

Race

Male – 6

Female – 4

N/A – 1

White – 5

Black – 5

Native American Indian or Alaska Native – 1

Appointments: The terms of five members, Kentisha James, Oral Payne, Bruce Strouble, Sean Morgan, and Tee Thompson, are set to expire on January 31, 2026. Ms. Kentisha James (category ‘l’) is not seeking reappointment. The eligible applicant for membership category ‘l’ is listed in Table #1 and eligible applicants for all other membership categories are listed in Table #2 for Board consideration. Members Oral Payne, Bruce Strouble, Sean Morgan, and Tee Thompson are seeking reappointment. Should the Board wish to consider a new applicant, only one out of the two (Robin Colson or Carrie Lee) may be appointed at this time due to the statutory requirements for committee composition (one representative from at least six of the eligibility categories ‘a’ through ‘k’). Four current members of the AHAC already reflect categories ‘i’ or ‘g’, so the appointment of both Ms. Colson and Ms. Lee would not satisfy the statutory requirements.

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Table #1: Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) membership category ‘l’

Appointment

Category

Gender – Race

Recommended Action

Kentisha James

l. A citizen who currently benefits from a rental housing assistance program, has benefited from an affordable homeownership program, or has experienced an eviction within the 10 years preceding their appointment.

Served 1 partial term

Not seeking reappointment

1/31/2026

1. Victoria AllSaints-Cole (l.)

Female – Black

Appoint one eligible applicant in membership category ‘l’ for a term ending January 31, 2029.

Table #2: Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) membership categories ‘a’ – ‘k’

Appointments Category Term Status	Term Expiration	Eligible Applicants Application Attachment # Category	Gender – Race	Recommended Action
Oral Payne f. A citizen who is actively engaged as a not-for-profit provider of affordable housing. Served 2 terms Seeking reappointment	1/31/2026	2. Oral Payne (f) 3. Bruce Strouble (d.) 4. Sean Morgan (a.) 5. Tee Thomspon (e.) 6. Robin Colson (i.) or 7. Carrie Lee (g.)	Male – Black Male – Black Male – White Female – Native American Female – White Female – Black	Appoint four eligible applicants for terms ending January 31, 2029.
Bruce Strouble d. A citizen who is actively engaged as an advocate for low-income persons in connection with affordable housing. Served 1 term Seeking reappointment	1/31/2026
Sean Morgan a. Actively engaged in the home building industry in connection with affordable housing. Served 1 term Seeking reappointment	1/31/2026
Tee Thompson e. A citizen who is actively engaged as a for-profit provider of affordable housing. Served 1 partial term Seeking reappointment	1/31/2026

Council on Culture & Arts Board (COCA)

Purpose: The COCA has numerous responsibilities including to stimulate greater awareness and appreciation of the importance of the arts; encourage and facilitate greater and more efficient use of governmental and private resources for the development and support of the arts; and promote the development of resident artists, art institutions, community organizations sponsoring art activities and audiences.

Composition: In accordance with Section 265.32(2)(b), Florida Statutes, COCA is comprised of 15 members appointed by the Board and two ex officio members: one County Commissioner and one City Commissioner. On October 14, 2003, the Board authorized the Mayor of the City of Tallahassee (Mayor) to recommend seven COCA members in consideration for the City’s contribution to COCA. Of the 15 Board appointments, eight members are appointed by the Board from a list of recommended applicants from COCA, while seven members are recommended by the Mayor, also from a list of recommended applicants from COCA, and appointed by the Board. In addition, there are five nonvoting ex officio members serving as liaisons, including representatives from FSU, FAMU, TSC, Leon County Schools, and the Tourist Development Council.

Currently, Commissioner Brian Welch is serving as the Board’s ex officio member on the COCA Board.

Per COCA’s bylaws, the 15 Council members shall include two Practicing Artists, two members from the Heritage Community, and at least one member each from Volunteer, Business/ Economic Development, Tourism, Finance, or Marketing.

Pursuant to Section 265.32(2)(c)-(d), Florida Statutes, members are appointed for a four-year term, and no Council member may serve more than two full terms without a two year period of non-membership following the expiration of the members’ second term. Members must be qualified electors residing in the County. In filling a vacancy, the replacement Council member shall be selected by the Board from a list of three candidates submitted by the remaining members of the Council. The Council considers suggestions or recommendations made by members of the public; representative civic, labor, and cultural associations; and groups concerned with encouraging the development and appreciation of the arts before submitting the list of candidates to the Board. In the event that none of the three candidates nominated by the Council meets Board approval, the Council shall submit another and entirely different list for Board consideration to fill the vacancy.

Diversity of Current Membership:

Total Seats

Vacant Seats

Gender

Race

Female – 11

Male – 4

N/A – 1

White – 10

Black – 3

Asian – 1

N/A – 2

Vacancies: The term of Erika Branchcomb, the City At-Large appointment, is set to expire on September 30, 2029. She was appointed by the City on September 17, 2025; however, it was subsequently determined that she is ineligible to serve in a City appointed seat. The Mayor has provided as a recommendation to the Board Segundo Fernandez to fill the City At-Large seat as detailed in Table #3.

Table #3: Council on Culture & Arts Board

Vacancy