Despite Eight Applications, City Extends Deadline for Ethics Board Position

Despite Eight Applications, City Extends Deadline for Ethics Board Position

When the City’s appointment to the Ethics Board, Lila Jaber, announced her resignation, the City of Tallahassee set a deadline of November 20th, 2015 to receive applications to fill the vacancy. When November 20th arrived, the City had received eight applications. However, instead of choosing from the eight applicants, the City decided to extend the […]

Decision by City Ethics Officer Raises Questions

Decision by City Ethics Officer Raises Questions

The City’s independent ethics board is experiencing growing pains. The recent announcement of Chair Lila Jaber’s  resignation after revelations of possible conflicts of interest with her law firm and the board’s controversial hiring of Julie Meadows-Keefe as the Board’s Ethic’s officer, has raised the level of scrutiny of the Board. And now, as ethics complaints […]

Ethics Board Retains City Appointed Ethics Officer with 4-2 Vote

Ethics Board Retains City Appointed Ethics Officer with 4-2 Vote

The City’s Ethics Board, during a four hour meeting today, voted to retain the City appointed Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe who has been a city employee for almost a year. Ms. Keefe was hired by the City Commission last year. The meeting began with public testimony, which at times was contentious.  A number of citizens […]

City Ethics Officer Did Not Inform Board of Possible Conflict, Calls Situation “Entirely Acceptable”

City Ethics Officer Did Not Inform Board of Possible Conflict, Calls Situation “Entirely Acceptable”

Tallahassee Reports spoke with the City’s appointed Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, about the hiring of a law firm to serve as counsel to the Ethics Board that also does significant business with the City of Tallahassee. Tallahassee Reports wrote about the relationship here. Ms. Meadows-Keefe told Tallahassee Reports that she was aware of the relationship […]

City Ethics Board Adds Two Members, Chooses Chairman

City Ethics Board Adds Two Members, Chooses Chairman

The City of Tallahassee Ethics Board met on Thursday, March 12 and added two new members. Based on the new referendum, the four current members, appointed by various members of the community earlier this year, were required to select two additional members. The board accepted applications through March 6 and during the latest meeting reviewed […]