The list of city commission candidates to replace suspended City Commissioner Scott Maddox includes people from all walks of life. When the four members of the Tallahassee City Commission review the applications they will find former politicians, former candidates, former Tallahassee mayors, conservatives, moderates, liberals, whites, minorities, business owners, philanthropists, government workers, insiders and outsiders among those who are seeking the position.
And while the list provides commissioners a number of different options, a cursory review of the list reveals that certain candidates could raise a number of questions.
For example, there are candidates:
- who are tied to companies that have recently submitted bids to do work for the City of Tallahassee.
- who, as a city employee, traveled with city lobbyists and city vendors.
- who are related to other elected officials.
- who have made social media comments that reveal intolerance to large groups of people.
- who publicly opposed an independent ethics board.
The complete list of over 90 applicants is provided below. Click on each name to review their application.
The list will be cut down by the close of business on December 26th when each of the four sitting commissioners choose three candidates for further review.
A special meeting of the City Commission will be convened between Wednesday, Dec. 26, and Monday, Dec. 31, wherein the City Commission will make a temporary appointment from the “short list” of candidates. The open, public meeting will be held in the City Commission Chambers, second floor, City Hall, 300 S. Adams Street.
TR will focus on the qualifications and characteristics of those candidates who make the final cut.
Also, TR encourages readers to review applications and to submit comments or questions.
Applicants that have applied to fill City Commission Seat 1.
- Alarcon, Francisco
- Alvarado, Alejandro
- Askew, Christine
- Askew, Kevin
- Aycock, Austin
- Baer, Catherine
- Bailey, John Paul
- Baynes, Curtis
- Bell, Ricky
- Bell, Shelly
- Biblo, Adam
- Bolden, Benny
- Brewster, Shane
- Bryant, Elaine
- Bunn, John
- Carter Jr., Sam
- Center, Tim
- Chukes, Patricia
- Croteau, Jim
- Corbella, Agustin
- Crews, Jim
- Daniels, Dustin
- Dodge, Grey
- Dulebenets, Phyllis Taylor
- Dzurik, Danielle
- Fishback, Jennifer
- Flury, Theresa
- Foote, Deborah L
- Franklin, Melissa
- Franklin II, Gallop
- Frazier, Tabitha
- Fritz, Emily
- Gayle, Gary
- Grant, Bruce
- Grass, Saralyn
- Greene, J Bryon
- Grewal, Shehnoor
- Halter, Lynette
- Harris, Matthew R
- Hartley, David A
- Hartsfield, Bert
- Hedrick, Jayne
- Heggins, Winifred
- Henry, Christic
- Hensarling, G. Ben
- Herrera-Gray, Glenda
- Higgins, Scott
- Hollimon, William
- Hughes, Shannon
- Irwin, Danielle
- Jaber, Lila
- Jones, Jesse
- Kadunc, Edward
- Kaye, Adam
- Kaye, Patrick
- Kessler, Howard W
- Kise, Ricky
- Lee, Brian
- Lee, Luther
- Litherland, Carrie
- Lowe-Minor, Jessica
- McDaniel, William
- Merrick, Jeffrey
- Messer, Will
- Middlebrooks, Savannah
- Mitchell, Miaisha
- Moor, Chryssy
- Moore, Mickey
- Mueller, Rebecca
- Napier, Bennett
- Nathan, Carlos
- Neimeister, Samuel
- Nunley, Natasha
- Ortiz, Robert
- Parker, Daniel
- Rackleff, Bob
- Robinson, Jen
- Roche, Norm
- Rowe, Ann
- Rudd, Frank
- Ryan, Bruce
- Schack, William
- Self, Floyd
- Simmons, William
- Sperry, Todd
- Spinks, Jeff
- Spriggs, Kent
- Strouble, Bruce
- Sununu, Tyler
- Valente, Vincent
- Varn, Jacob
- Woodward, Michael
- Wright, Rahni
City Commission Candidates Run the Gamut, Some Would Face Interesting Questions added by Steve Stewart on
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From information in the other TR article here (“City Commission Front-Runner”) regarding one Ms. Tabitha Frazier, it seems a prerequisite for top COT Commissioner candidate status is regular and profane social media postings disparaging President Trump and any-all of his nominees and policies. All those applicants who haven’t mastered this lofty accomplishment to Jeremy Matlow’s satisfaction are relegated to the waste basket.
Just pick a Christian with good moral character , a brain between their ears, some local business experience, and a desire to run a clean commission over local /regional politics . The $37000 pay for the job is not a reason to go for it, so watch out for the political connectors that have personal profit as a motive………we have been there already !!!
When Carrie Litherland was running for Mayor of Tallahassee she kept saying how she would not be able to make the Meetings because of when they started and when they ended and that she would change that. What has changed since a Commissioner wont be able to change the times of the Meets because they are Inconvenient to him/her?
When Carrie Litherland was running for Mayor of Tallahassee she kept saying how she would not be able to make the Meetings because of when they started and when they ended and that she would change that. What has changed since a Commissioner wont be able to change the times of the Meets because they are Inconvenient to him/her?
That is a long list of reprobates, We’d do better picking a name out of the phone book.
Reprobate is often used in jest but meaning someone unprincipled. I can be accused of a lot of things. My teenagers have an assortment of adjectives. Unprincipled would not be one of them.
I see several very impressive resumes.
There are two very impressive applicants who were recently candidates and were recently vetted by the campaign process. Their credentials, education, community interactions with solid organizations make them the strongest candidates for this position.
These two candidates are conservatives which equates to good citizens, responsible , and wants to serve humanity.
I would hope that Emily Fritz and Bill Schack are on the short list.
They would be two of my three picks, Hope.
Absolutely NOT on my list, in alphabetical order:
The Bells
Crews
Daniels (used city email list to get votes – even though he was told not to.)
Hartsfield
Jaber
Kessler
Parker (who just recently showed up on this site as a liberal climate change columnist)
Rackleff (Jimmy Carter’s speech writer)
Spriggs (former mayor, who once defended Castro against America)
I will add Rick Minor’s wife to your list. A Minor on the County Commission and a Minor on The City Commission would be a MAJOR problem.
Liberal climate change columnist here. Regardless of labels, my door would be open. I would hope anyone, especially with a difference of opinion, would let me know their thoughts. If this happens, I would like to keep writing and engage with all the community.
Too bad Dr. Jackson, Barney Bishop, and Steve Stewart decided to sit this one out.
Oh and ny the way Maven and Snidely are not interested either.
I heard we no longer get a free car, that deferred comp, and those free sky box tickits so I respectfully declined to serve.
Barney Bishop? He did nothing other than state that Scot Maddox was the best qualified the last time Scott Maddox ran for his City commission seat. It was revealed that Barney Bishop has possible business with the city.
Barney Bishop went off the rails in a tirade and rant against one of the best candidates in the last election. He owes that candidate an apology. He also owes Leon County and apology for promoting Scott Maddox.
I am sorry Snidely, but you are way out of line regarding Barney Bishop.
Snidester, when I learned I wouldn’t be able to upload spyware into that NGP VAN software the little Dem-Socialists use, I lost interest, hah!
Emily Fritz strong candidate and qualified! Definitely on the short list, hands down the next Madame Commish!
Dustin Daniels and Lila Jaber would be HORRIBLE FOR TALLAHASSEE. Daniels crimes have been well covered, but Lila Jaber was hand picked to chair the Tallahassee Ethics Board and she had to resign in disgrace after it was found out that she did not disclose her firms business with the City of Tallahassee. guess which firm? ding ding ding… Adam Corey’s!!! Don’t even begin looking at what happened to Lila from her time with the Public Service Commission…
Dustin needs a proofreader.
Maybe he can hire one after he is “picked,” at taxpayer’s expense?
I hope they ask Shelly Bell why she put almost every student in AP US History to game the school grading process. Ask Ricky Bell why he did not come forward with any affidavit that unequivocally proves Rocky Hanna made up everything to dirty up the former Superintendent.
Great vetting! Those applicants need to ‘slither’ back under the rocks from which they slither from. Can’t wait to see if new pick part of the continuation of the SAME tax and spend game or an out-side-the- box thinker who brings fresh perspective to Seat 1 constitutes.