TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A motion by Tallahassee Mayor Pro-Tempore Jeremy Matlow for a joint meeting with city and county officials on homelessness failed in a vote at Wednesday's commission meeting.
Tuesday, county commissioners had the opposite outcome voting to come together.
City leaders say the Big Bend Continuum of Care needs more time to gather data.
"I'm going to respectfully vote against the motion on the table," Mayor John Dailey said. "We have got to give the experts at the Big Bend Continuum of Care the opportunity to finish the strategic plan."
The city voting not to meet with the county commission just yet about the pressing issue of homelessness in the community.
"Now that city walk is denied, who's is going to dare to open a shelter in the City of Tallahassee in the future?" said Tony Miller, who spoke in support of City Walk.
The city's development review committee's denial of City Walks permit Monday, has people asking for other ways to deal with the problem.
"There's nowhere for them to go," one speaker said.
Commissioners weighing whether to take action now or wait to give experts time to put together a plan to deal with the problem.
"We're hitting the gas because of City Walk, we need to just hold up and lets look at things holistically and work on wherever homelessness is," Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox said.
Commissioner Jack Porter opposing that view.
"Workshops are a precious resource to hear from all stakeholders," said Porter.
Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox, who sits on the board of the Continuum of Care, said the agency is working to re-house City Walk clients now.
While they wait for a plan to reduce homelessness in our area.
"We're not talking about dogs or cats, we're talking about humans," said Erick Oody also in support of City Walk.
City commissioners say once the Big Bend Continuum of Care completes their strategic plan and they have more data, they will look into a joint meeting with the county again.
