At their last official Tallahassee City Commission meeting, Mayor Andrew Gillum, and City Commissioners Gil Ziffer and Nancy Miller offered farewell comments.
Gillum’s comments were brief. He offered “a heartfelt thank you.”
Gil Ziffer drew laughs when he thanked Barack Obama for helping him get on the Tallahassee city commission. He became city commissioner because of the resignation of former commissioner Alan Katz, who was appointed the US Ambassador of Portugal by Obama.
In August of 2009, Ziffer gave a speech as a new member of the city commission. He ended that speech with, “it’s not about managing it’s about leading,” and said he hopes he’s been able to do just that over the past nine years.
He added, “we’re doing everything right” and we can’t let people tear down the government. He was “deeply bothered by people whose singular purpose is to tear government down,” and says we can see it with elections right now and that we are depriving our mayor from receiving the votes he is due.
Ziffer praised Wayne Tedder for his commitment in pushing Independence Landing, a community built for adults with a range of developmental disabilities.
Ziffer thanked his colleagues, stating they don’t always agree but that they “can still break bread together.” He also thanked the staff of the city, his wife, and his aide Cathy.
Commissioner Nancy Miller, who was elected in 2010, said she has loved this city over the last 25 years and that we’ve created a beautiful town.
She echoed Ziffer’s comments when she said people here love the community, but some “just want to tear government down.” Miller emphasizes that those people are the minority and that most are supportive.
She said she is “immensely proud of this government,” and that the All-American City designation “fits perfectly.” Miller added that we have “one of the best governments in the country.” Our new commission and new appointed officials have a lot of great stuff to work with.
Miller expressed her gratitude in working with everyone on the commission through good times and disagreements. Miller said disagreement is good: “you want people that have different backgrounds, different daily lives, they come together and can make a comprehensively thought out position.” She also thanked her aide and her supporters.
Mayor, City Commissioners Bid Farewell added by Hannah Cooperman on
View all posts by Hannah Cooperman →
Seeking to sell new bonds and we are bonded out for 30 years already.
Is Miller joking or what? We “have one of the best governments in the country”?! Perhaps applicable if we only include the “best governments in the country under an FBI investigation for rampant corruption”. Or is she actually trying to pass that opinion off as something valid? How any present COT commission member can say with a straight face they’te “immensely proud of this government” escapes me. But then, if you’re proud of Tallahassee’s abysmal crime, economic statistics, and poor national reputation after years of “best government in the country”, that escapes me too.
All that said, Tally is a great city (in spite of the outgoing COT) – it just needs a brand-new, highly ethical government that’s not preoccupied trying to rob the city coffers. It just needs a government that actually wants to make the city better, and requires no FBI investigations to intervene. Amazing what might be accomplished when personally getting richer isn’t your primary goal as an elected official.
High crimes and misdemeanors…
Gillum’s next election will require that all 12 votes be counted.
Miller is living in fantasy land.
In response to News Maven..I’m thinking that Blountstown Hwy and Woodville areas might be the county’s responsibility not the city. So maybe get on the county commissioners for these issues.
Chloe: I segued to the CRA, which is a city/county agency when I made the point about the bad county roads. Of course those two areas would be under the county’s purview.
Mayor Gillum can now become the Felon Outreach Coordinator for PFAW.
Indictments are looming!
I thank each of them for their service to the community and wish them the best of luck in the future.
Miller should love the city for all of the city contracts her family members have received over the years.
Bingo, Bill!
Her gravy train is no longer making a stop at her desk.
She should be glad Andrew Guilty’s “Three Amigos” didn’t pal around with her.
And which of these self-serving fools commented about the great roads we have? Yeah, that is a real 3-card Monty. Sure, the roads close to downtown, and in the Northeast are fine. But the southside roads are bad. And if you really want to see some Third World dirt paths, go way out in the county! Like Woodville, or out Blountstown. ZERO improvements on those roads in the last nine years, Mr. $100,000 slip and fall settlement. All those millions of our tax dollars you gave away to CRA buddies/donors and “studies” would have bought a lot of asphalt and road grading.
And yet amazingly The Florida League Of Cities sees Gil Ziffer as “there kind of man” to oversee their lobbying and money collecting operations!!!
Just shows what a scamey den of thieves The Florida Leauge Of Cities is.
There’s a empty chair in the IT department because of her. The emptiness isn’t literal, as that chair is occupied by a morbidly obese, balding, aspie, creeper who is colloquially referred to as the unibomber. No one knows what he does, including his manager. Miller’s people marched him in one day and people were told he’s yours now. Another Buss getting a shady deal.
Really, “we are depriving our mayor from receiving the votes he is due” – such BS. “Due”? These people know no bounds when it comes to deception and stretching the truth. EACH candidate is entitled to the votes lawfully and timely cast – nothing more. Good riddance.
Perhaps he was referring to jurors and not voters.