Liaison committee elects chair and vice chair, adopts standard rules of order

The newly formed Hillsborough County liaison committee elected committee member Jake as chair and committee member Cliff as vice chair and adopted standard rules of order for its meetings. The committee — created to work with county staff in responding to requests from the Florida Department of State team — held its organizational session in a public meeting room at the county administrative building. Brandon Wagner, chief administrator for government relations and strategic services, opened the meeting and asked members to nominate officers so the group could respond quickly to state inquiries. Why it matters: The chair is expected to serve as the committee’s public representative to the state team and other external stakeholders. Adopting rules of order establishes the committee’s meeting procedures, clarifies quorum and voting requirements, and enables staff to publish agendas and minutes on a regular schedule. How the votes went: Members nominated Jake for chair, a second was recorded, and the committee voted in favor. Cliff was nominated, and the committee elected him vice chair after Amanda Perupski withdrew her nomination. The committee then voted to adopt a set of standard rules of order presented by staff; the motion passed by voice vote. Procedural details and next steps: Staff said minutes and public notices will be handled by county staff. Members agreed to meet monthly on the first Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon at the same conference room; staff will post formal meeting notices and agendas in advance. The committee also agreed it may convene additional meetings as needed while the state team is onsite and as follow-up work requires. Members emphasized that quorum rules under Florida law require a physical presence of at least three members before the committee may take formal action; members who call in do not count toward the quorum requirement for action. Staff confirmed that public attendance and public-comment rules will follow the county’s ordinary meeting procedures. The committee closed the organizational portion of its meeting and moved on to legal, technical and staff briefings about the state requests. The chair will serve as the committee’s liaison to county staff and to the governor’s office as needed.