Governor's Mansion Commission
Created in subsection 272.18, Florida Statutes, the Governor's Mansion Commission is located within the Department of Management Services. The commission's eight members consist of: five private citizens who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate for staggered four-year terms; one member is the Secretary of the Department of Management Services or their designee; one member is the director of the Division of Recreation and Parks of the Department of Environmental Protection; and one member is an employee of the Department of State with curatorial and museum expertise. The spouse of the Governor or the designated representative for the Governor is an ex officio member of the commission that has no voting rights except in the case of a tie vote. Members do not receive compensation or honorarium, but are entitled to travel and per diem expenses in accordance with section 112.061, Florida Statutes. No member of the commission can hold any other state or local government office during his/her tenure and the Governor may remove any member as specified in section 272.18 Florida Statutes.
The commission annually elects a chairperson from among its citizen members which may be elected to serve one additional year upon completion of his/her annual term. Meetings are called by the chairperson, at the request of the majority of the members, by the Department of Management Services, or as directed by rules 60G in the Florida Administrative Code. A majority of the membership constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
All expenses of the commission are paid from legislative appropriations to the Department of Management Services for commission purposes. The commission submits its budgetary requests to the department for approval and inclusion in the department's legislative budget request. All commission vouchers are required to be submitted to the Secretary of the Department of Management Services before being submitted to the Comptroller for payment.
The commission is charged with keeping the structure, style and character of the Mansion and grounds there of consistent with its original plan of design and construction. Any major changes in the architecture, furniture, furnishings, fixtures or decorative objects, as well as changes to structures or landscaping of the grounds, must be approved by the Governor and Cabinet. The commission is further responsible for preserving and protecting the antique furnishings in the private quarters of the Mansion and the furniture, fixtures and decorative objects used or displayed in the state rooms of the Mansion.
The commission is required to adopt rules governing the use of the state rooms of the Governor's Mansion consisting of the entrance hall, the state bedroom and its hallway and bath, the reception hall, the Florida Room, and the state dining room. Rules are to include the selection and acquisition of furnishings and decorations for these rooms, and the acceptance of gifts, contributions, bequests, or loans of property.
The commission is authorized to employ a full-time curator to maintain the inventory and assist the commission in carrying out its duties. The curator ensures the care and proper upkeep of the antiques and fine furnishings of the Mansion, while making the Mansion a living residence and a place through which thousands of visitors pass each year. The curator also provides for the training of docents which conduct visitor tours of the Mansion. The commission is further authorized to obtain clerical, expert, technical or other services from the Department of Management Services, as needed. The law requires the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of State to provide "reasonable" services at the request of the commission.
In accordance with Chapter 617, Florida Statutes and approved by the Department of State, the commission may authorize corporations not for profit to operate for the benefit of the Governor's Mansion. Any such corporation must operate under contract with the commission. The commission is required to adopt rules prescribing material conditions of the contract. Such contracts are required to includes, but not limited to, provisions which prescribe procedures for acquiring and disposing of property by the corporation, a description of the relationship of the corporation to the commission, and requires the corporation to disclose material provisions of the contract to donors of gifts, contributions, or bequests.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Governor's Mansion Curator
Ms. Carol G. Beck
700 North Adams Street
Tallahassee, Florida32303
Local: 922-4991
SC: 292-4991
Governor's Mansion Greenhouse
Local: 487-1583/SC: 277-1583
Henry Lockwood
Local Office: 922-4993
Governor's Mansion
Governor's Mansion Maintenance
Mr. Richard Nichols
700 North Adams Street
Tallahassee, Florida32303
Local: 488-5591/SC: 278-5591
Local: 488-4661/SC: 278-4661
FAX: 922-6110
Mr. Dean Izzo, Director
Facilities Program
Division of Real Estate Development and Management
Phone: (850) 488-2074