At its Oct. 9 meeting the High Springs City Commission approved two procurement actions and discussed moving forward with foreclosure to recover a municipal lien.

The commission voted to adopt Resolution 2025-R to approve an agreement with Gapski Law Firm PA for special magistrate services and to adopt Resolution 2025-S to piggyback Palm Bay’s contract with GAI Consultants Inc. for planning consulting services. City staff said the Gapski contract is similar to the prior agreement but at a lower cost than the previous vendor, and that GAI would provide continuing planning services under a piggyback arrangement.

The motions: a commissioner moved and another seconded approval of the Gapski contract; the roll call recorded affirmative votes by Mayor Grunder, Vice Mayor Miller, Commissioner Plutsworth, Commissioner Howe and Commissioner White. The commission then approved the piggyback contract with GAI on a subsequent motion and roll call vote with the same recorded affirmative responses. No citizen comments were made on either resolution during the votes.

On a separate administrative matter, staff presented materials on a municipal lien recorded against a property for unpaid charges of roughly $2,000. The mortgage holder on the property has initiated foreclosure on a primary mortgage for about $111,000. City staff proposed pursuing foreclosure coordination with the mortgage holder so the city’s recorded lien could be resolved as part of the foreclosure process. The commission gave staff informal direction to contact the mortgage company and pursue an amicable resolution; staff said they will return to the commission if the process would require city expenditure.

Why it matters: Approving the special magistrate contract restores an in-house code-enforcement hearing resource at a lower anticipated cost; the piggyback planning contract preserves continuity with prior consulting relationships. Pursuing foreclosure could allow the city to recover the recorded lien amount without immediate additional expense.

Votes at a glance:
- Resolution 2025-R (Gapski Law Firm PA, special magistrate services): Motion approved; roll call recorded as unanimous (5-0).
- Resolution 2025-S (piggyback agreement with GAI Consultants Inc., planning consulting): Motion approved; roll call recorded as unanimous (5-0).

Foreclosure action: Staff directed to contact the mortgage holder to attempt coordinated foreclosure; no vote authorizing payment or litigation expenditure was taken. Staff said the mortgage foreclosure is likely to generate sufficient funds to satisfy the roughly $2,000 municipal lien but will return if costs are required.

Ending: The commission approved the two contracts and asked staff to pursue the lien foreclosure coordination, returning to the commission if legal or fiscal costs arise.