City Commission Meeting Briefs: November 10th

City Commission Meeting Briefs: November 10th

During Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, former FAMU football Coach Rudy Hubbard was honored with the “Key to the City” award to recognize his profound impact on Tallahassee. Hubbard will be inducted into the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame in December. Coach Hubbard served as the Florida A&M head football coach from 1974 to 1985, compiling an 83-48-3 record.

* The city approved the leave buyback options for the police and firefighters to reduce accrued liability and compensate employees for their earned benefits.

* The commission approved the suspension of a qualification requirement for the replacement board members of the Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB). The CPRB requires Board members to successfully complete the Tallahassee Police Department Citizens Police Academy (CPA) within one year of appointment. The commission voted for the two replacement members to have an additional six months to meet the requirement.

* Gabriela Limones-Borja was appointed to the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Limones-Borja currently serves as a legislative research assistant for the Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee.

* The City Charter requires the election of the mayor pro tem to be conducted annually. During the commissioner meeting, Commissioner Dianne Willams-Cox nominated Commissioner Curtis Richardson for the next mayor pro tem.

Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a secondary motion to select Commissioner Jack Porter as mayor pro tem. However, there was no support, and the motion failed. Commissioner Richardson was elected in a 4-1 vote, with Matlow in dissent.

* During the commission meeting, the city adopted a policy that confirms the commission generally adheres to simplified parliamentary procedures and is guided by Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised. The item passed in a 3-2 vote with Commissioner Porter and Commissioner Matlow in dissent.

Matlow suggested truly adopting Robert’s Rules of Order, “I think that if we are going to adopt a formal rule, they exist with Robert’s Rules of Order, that would be logical,” the commissioner said. He asserted that he saw many occurrences over the last year that were out of order and not handled well, so he could not support the item.

Porter made an additional motion directing staff to bring back information regarding implementing a queue system to mediate meetings, similar to what the county uses. However, it failed in a 2-3 vote with Commissioners Williams-Cox, Richardson, and Mayor Dailey in opposition. A clearly frustrated Porter then confronted her colleagues. “I clearly don’t feel like what we have is working. Which is why I asked for more support,” Porter said.

* The Commission unanimously approved the adoption of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) consent order policy that ensures a transparent process and allows the city manager to exercise existing authority to resolve environmental violations expeditiously.

In a 3-2 vote, with Commissioners Matlow and Porter in opposition, the Board approved a contract for $1.2 million, with TEKSystems to develop, test, and implement the integrations for the Customer Information System replacement project.

Matlow voiced his concern regarding the contract and why he could not support it. “Whenever we have a contract of such great value, $1.2 million, it causes a lot of concern for me and the public when we don’t put them out for a competitive bid,” Matlow said, directing his comment to the city manager.

* The Commission unanimously approved three (3) year term contracts to supply municipal vehicles, parts, and service with Alan Jay Automotive Network, Beck Automotive Group, Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, and Tallahassee Ford Lincoln was unanimously approved. Expenditures are expected to be between $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 annually for vehicle purchases, parts, and services.

10 Responses to "City Commission Meeting Briefs: November 10th"

  1. “Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a secondary motion to select Commissioner Jack Porter as mayor pro tem. However, there was no support, and the motion failed” ………………. WOW, ZERO Support……. this says a lot about Porter.

  2. @ Terry,

    Thank you for the work you do, your tireless efforts and expertise are very much appreciated. Another reason a nationwide search for a city manager is needed.

    Keep up good work!

  3. “The Commission unanimously approved the adoption of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) consent order policy that ensures a transparent process”
    Not, unless one feels a 1”x4” very small print ad placed deep in classified ads is transparent. Recommendations for normal news releases announcing serious and expensive FDEP and EPA consent orders were rejected by Goad and staff as unnecessary for transparency.

    Also, Goad and staff rejected calls for news releases on massive sewage spills (466,000 gallons three weeks ago in Hartsfield Village running through its streets). They contend our 190,000 citizens and media can sign up to FDEP’s public notice system if they want to learn about sewage spills. This latest spill had extremely dangerous sewage contaminant flow in a 100’ wide swath down Foster Drive up to porches, garages and back yards. EColi was detected by City water quality tests at least as far as TCC where the Central Drainage Ditch connects to Munson Slough which further connects to Lake Munson and Wakulla Springs, both heavily impaired water bodies.

    Other non-transparency issues were pointed out but you get the gist. TR is invited to investigate more, especially, non-transparency periodic updates by Mr Goad and staff of more than 240 contaminated sites across Tallahassee.

    Go to our we site: http://www.multi-fin.com for full statewide sewage spill information, updated quarterly.

    Terry Ryan-Co Founder
    Tallahassee Sewage and Wakulla Basin Advocacy Group

  4. @Lynda
    Excellent and refreshing observation
    Thumps up, Thumps up

    @Barb
    Hilarious, but True
    Thumbs up, Thumbs up

    @Hope
    Continue to give LIGHT to their DARK shenanigans
    Thumps up, Thumbs up

  5. @ Pat… generational poverty and entitlement dependency – particularly within our communities of color – has been the DemoKKKrat MO for decades.

  6. Face it. Welfare is a great career choice. Heck, some families have been enjoying welfare for generations. It is a “win win”. Liberal Politicians get the vote and 19% of the Country doesn’t have to work.

  7. After watching this group of city commissioners, I was completely underwhelmed.
    How disappointing…surely we can do better than this crew.

  8. Socially far left Matlow and Porter vs. socially “moderate” left (with some ethical questions) Williams-Cox, Richardson, and Mayor Dailey. Good Grief! I pray Tallahassee will do better in the next elections.

  9. Matlow questioned the City Manager on the inaction of the ethics progress. This city manager seems to be deliberately stalling and stonewalling in order to clear the way for the corruption to continue…

    1- No bid contracts

    2- Mayor misusing the city TV station to do campaign ads and stealing taxpayer dollars and resources in the tens of thousands of dollars.

    – undo the ID card scam
    – do a nationwide search for a new city manager
    – have the mayor cease and desist from misusing city resources for political campaign purposes such as abortion issue and WCOT TV ads

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