Commission extends COCA tourism‑dollar agreement for one year and directs staff to review reserves and procurement concerns

The Leon County Commission voted unanimously to extend the county’s one‑year funding agreement with the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) while directing county staff to review COCA’s reserve balances, look into allegations about one subrecipient and work with COCA on marketing cap language and regranting practices.

Commissioner Caban (pulled item) raised questions about COCA’s finances and said COCA “is sitting on $2,000,000 in cash,” while the board was being asked to award roughly $1.8 million in subgrants from tourism development tax (TDT) revenues. Caban also said an allegation had been brought to his office that “the Tallahassee Museum has been granting, for 5 years, an excess of $1,200,000 to 1 of their board members without going through a proper RFP process.” He described that allegation as “alleged” and said staff should investigate.

County staff told commissioners this was the first the allegation had been raised publicly and offered to review COCA’s contract and subgranting to determine whether any action is warranted. The county administrator said the one‑year extension was put in place specifically to allow a comprehensive review of COCA ahead of budget workshops.

Matt (county staff) and others noted that COCA receives one penny of the county’s tourist development tax (TDT) and historically undertakes a regranting function; staff said COCA’s reserve levels can grow when receipts exceed anticipated budgeted revenue. Staff also pointed to new contractual “guardrails” in the one‑year extension intended to encourage COCA to grant more funds rather than accumulate reserves.

Several commissioners urged caution and asked staff for further detail. Commissioner Proctor said the apparent mismatch between COCA’s reported reserves and COCA’s claimed need was “disheartening” and asked for further review. Commissioner O’Keefe and others supported the one‑year extension to avoid interrupting COCA’s grant cycle, while also asking for a staff report detailing COCA’s budgeting and reserve practices. Commissioner Cummings and Commissioner Minor urged staff to ensure COCA’s marketing caps and administrative limits were reviewed and to allow staff flexibility to negotiate with COCA during the extension.

The board approved the one‑year extension with amended direction that staff: investigate the allegation referenced by Commissioner Caban, review COCA’s reserves and regranting practices, and work with COCA on the marketing cap language. Staff said it would return findings and recommended options during the county’s budget workshop and could report any actionable legal issues discovered in the review.