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Lake Clarke Shores renews Tallahassee lobbying agreement with Ackerman LLP after council review
Summary
After a council discussion about vendor evaluation and performance, Lake Clarke Shores voted unanimously Aug. 13 to renew its contract with Ackerman LLP for state government affairs representation; councilors cited past successes and noted the contract is month-to-month and due for review.
The Lake Clarke Shores Town Council voted Aug. 13 to renew its agreement with Ackerman LLP to provide state government affairs and lobbying services. Council members reviewed the firm’s tenure (staff said Ackerman began representing the town in February 2019) and debated whether to run a competitive procurement or continue with the existing firm.
Council member Taylor Metterio asked how long Ackerman had served and whether the town should issue an RFP if a contract extends beyond four years. Town staff and councilors noted the arrangement is month-to-month and that participation by a well-connected lobbyist can be difficult to value purely by cost. "Richard's well connected. He knows our region," Mayor Gregory Freibold said when describing the value of maintaining continuity.
Town staff and at least one council member cited a recent example of state funding the town secured: "In 02/2022...we got $600,000," a town official said, noting that occasional large appropriations can outweigh several years with few awards.
Council member (12) moved to renew the agreement with Ackerman LLP; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote (recorded as 4–0). Several council members said they will continue routine vendor oversight and reassess performance if the firm fails to deliver results in future cycles.
Next steps: staff will proceed with contract renewal under the existing terms and noted the town may evaluate lobbyist performance or seek alternatives in subsequent procurement cycles.
