The Tallahassee City Commission gave final approval to transfer Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare's assets to Florida State University Wednesday.
The transfer of TMH to Florida State University has garnered widespread public comment. During Wednesday’s meeting members of the community spoke on the topic, including Michael Dalby, the CEO of the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. He approves of the plan.
“Simply put, health care is not only a public good, but also a business imperative. Voting Yes strengthens Tallahassee. Tallahassee position as a place where existing and future employers can confidently invest, grow and recruit and retain talent,” he said.
But several Tallahassee residents, like Wiz Benoit, criticized the process of how the sale came about and how negotiations have moved forward.
“I think there are externalities that are going to affect living people for generations to come after all of us in this room are long and gone. And I think that we need to take that into the gravity of the decision into account,” he said.
The vote from the city commission followed the similar 3 to 2 split that has decided most controversial items before the commission since 2020. Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey supports the transfer, saying it will help transform healthcare access in North Florida.
“Out of the 20 years that I have served in elected office, this will probably be the most important, if not one of the most important votes that I will take. One of the most important decisions as an elected official that we can take in our careers,” he said.
Commissioner Jack Porter voted no, expressing concerns about transparency in the process and worries about handing a major community healthcare resource to a state entity.
“To date, there's been no appraisal, no plan, no discussion of alternative models for a partnership that don't involve a sale, no willingness of the majority to compromise. I believe this could have been a five zero vote. I fully believe that,” she said.
FSU will pay the city almost $110 million for the assets, as well as pledge $250 million in short-term improvements to TMH’s healthcare offerings and over a billion in the long-term.