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Commission replaces selection committee ranking, hires Chris Foley LLC as county lobbyist
Summary
Following debate and a motion to override the selection committee’s rank, the board chose Chris Foley Consulting LLC as the county’s legislative lobbyist and authorized staff to negotiate a five‑year contract with a first‑year fee proposal; commissioners cited relationships and recent state appropriations work.
Brevard County commissioners voted July 22 to reject a selection committee ranking and instead award the county legislative lobbyist contract to Chris Foley Consulting LLC. The request followed presentations from three bidders and staff’s recommendation of a different firm.
Commissioners discussed recent appropriations work and relationships with Tallahassee. An under‑sheriff spoke in support, noting a recent $10 million appropriation his office obtained after engaging the consultant. Members of the public and commissioners spoke about past performance and potential conflicts; the board ultimately voted to select Chris Foley’s firm and authorized negotiation of a five‑year contract at agreed terms.
Why it matters: State lobbying is a conduit for county appropriations and policy advocacy. The selected firm’s relationships and recent activity in Tallahassee were described as deciding factors.
The motion to reject the committee ranking and select Chris Foley passed on a 5‑0 roll call. Staff will negotiate contract language and fee terms per the board’s direction before final execution.
