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Council delays decision on $30,000 OLA sponsorship, schedules special meeting Oct. 23 for more information
Summary
Councilors asked staff to gather metrics and benchmarks about the Osceola League of Cities (OLA) sponsorship after members questioned the $30,000 expense and whether it yields sufficient value; the item was pulled and a special meeting on Oct. 23 was scheduled for follow-up.
The Saint Cloud City Council on Thursday pulled a $30,000 membership/sponsorship for the Osceola League of Cities (OLA) from the consent agenda and scheduled a special meeting for Oct. 23 to review additional information before taking a final vote.
Deputy Mayor Gilbert questioned whether the $30,000 provides good value for taxpayers and asked for benchmarks demonstrating what Saint Cloud receives in return. Several council members said OLA can provide useful coordinated representation in Tallahassee and cited examples of recent advocacy successes; others suggested the city should ask for metrics on what the regional membership secures.
City Manager and staff said the county and neighboring cities were still finalizing decisions and that postponing the vote would not prevent the city’s officials from participating in the Oct. 27 legislative-delegation luncheon. The manager proposed a special meeting tied to the Oct. 23 council workshop so council members would have the latest information before deciding.
Action taken: Council agreed to remove the OLA sponsorship from the consent agenda and scheduled a special meeting for Oct. 23 (to coincide with the Oct. 23 workshop) to receive more information from staff and OLA representatives before deciding.
Ending: Staff will seek metrics and a written explanation from OLA’s lobbyists about services and outcomes; councilors asked to see benchmarks in advance of the Oct. 23 special meeting.
