By: Monica Casey | WCTV Eyewitness News

October 16, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- The City Commission has chosen two final options for the new TPD headquarters: the Northwood Centre and the Lake Bradford Road Wastewater Treatment Center.

Both are city-owned.

The five remaining locations were the Northwood Centre, the Lake Bradford Wastewater Treatment Center, the current location, Towne South, and the Winewood Boulevard building.

"The two locations that people have been coming to my office about, and that I've been hearing a lot about, are the Northwood Centre and the Lake Bradford Location at the old wastewater treatment center," said Commissioner Matlow before the meeting. "They're both locations that are prime for development, that are not at their best use, so I'm in support of those."

The City has been focused on public comment throughout the process, creating a graph of the 700 e-mails received.

That graph shows the Northwood Centre receiving 67% of the vote, with Towne South in second place.

However, a large amount of public comment was in favor of using a site already owned by the City, to mitigate cost.

"We'll be recommending the three sites that are owned by the City and that is consistent with feedback we've received from the public that suggested that we locate on the site where there would not be additional acquisition cost."

Public comment on the subject ran for over an hour.

A group of about ten attended the meeting in t-shirts reading "We Support TPD Relocation to the Southside."

"There is a cost-benefit analysis to this that is magnificent," said Christic Henry. "There are examples in St. Petersburg and Orlando."

"I think the Southside is being misrepresented, I think there are many people that want this," said another speaker.

Twice the Mayor had to call for order, with comments from public speakers jabbing at others in the audience.

"Who paid for those t-shirts," said one woman, referring to the group supporting the Towne South location.

She argued that the group did not represent neighborhood activism, but rather the Architects Design Group.

Others argued against creating or expanding the police department at all.

City Staff's presentation detailed pros and cons for each site.

During the Commissioners' discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Curtis Richardson discussed to keep the Towne South location on the list.

Mayor Dailey disagreed, citing the high cost (5.5 million dollars) and flooding problems at the location.

Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a motion to accept staff's recommendation, with the removal of the current site. His motion was seconded by the Mayor, and passed unanimously.