Forward Pinellas authorizes negotiation with Southern Group to secure Tallahassee lobbying services

Forward Pinellas’ board voted Jan. 14 to authorize Executive Director Whit Planton to negotiate a contract with the Southern Group to provide lobbying services in Tallahassee and monitor legislation that could affect local planning authority.

The board’s action was limited to negotiation authority; Planton will return a final contract to the board with specific deliverables and a dollar amount for formal approval. Council Member Brian Scott moved to authorize negotiations and Chair Gina Driscoll seconded the motion. In a roll-call vote, Commissioner Kathleen Peters voted no; the remaining board members present voted in favor and the motion passed.

The vote followed a lengthy discussion in which several board members voiced competing experiences with the Southern Group. Commissioner Kathleen Peters said her county administration canceled the firm’s prior contract because staff were unresponsive and said she could not support hiring the same team. Other members, including Mayor Moe Franey and Council Member Randy Gabbard, described positive working relationships with Southern Group lobbyists and highlighted the firm’s FDOT and Tallahassee connections.

Executive Director Whit Planton urged the board to secure a dedicated representative who can protect the Pinellas Planning Council and shepherd a potential local bill if a regional MPO merger or state legislation affects Pinellas County’s planning authorities. Planton said the recommended arrangement would likely be a one-year contract with two one-year renewal options and that the board had asked negotiators to aim for a lower annual cost and clear contractual accountability.

Board members emphasized three negotiable elements that must be included before returning a contract for approval: measurable deliverables and reporting requirements, clear conflict-of-interest disclosure and mitigation language, and a not-to-exceed dollar amount that the board would review. Planton said the procurement used the county’s process and that the selection committee ranked Southern Group highest based on scored criteria.

The board’s recorded concerns centered on vendor responsiveness, potential conflicts when a large firm represents multiple local governments, and fiscal stewardship given uncertain state-level property tax and budget changes. Planton said he discussed coordination with county administration and expected the selected firm to work in partnership with city and county lobbyists rather than to supplant them.

The motion authorizes negotiation only; any final contract will be returned to the board for formal approval with the negotiated deliverables and price.