City Commission Defeats Matlow’s Motion on Ethics Ordinance, Plans February Workshop

City Commission Defeats Matlow’s Motion on Ethics Ordinance, Plans February Workshop

For several months Tallahassee City Commissioners have been waiting for a workshop to be scheduled with the City’s Ethics Officer to delve into the Independent Ethics Board’s recommendations for new ethics ordinances.

“My patience is wearing thin on the scheduling of the ethics workshop,” said Commissioner Jeremy Matlow during the sharing of ideas portion of the City Commissioner meeting on December 8th. Matlow continued, suggesting that it should not take months to schedule a workshop, “I hope we can do better in the future.”

Matlow motioned for a public hearing to be scheduled for the next city commission meeting in January addressing the recommendations made by the Independent Ethics Board several months ago.

“While I look forward to deep diving into the ethics issue to see what we can do better, we have had recommendations from the independent ethics board for months,” said Matlow.  Commissioner Jack Porter seconded the motion.

Matlow’s motion would set a public hearing and a vote on the “ordinance recommended by the ethics board on lobbying, misuse of public position, penalties disclosure, and use of non-public information.”

Commissioner Curtis Richardson said he could support the motion made by Matlow. However, he felt the items should be part of the broader discussion during the workshop.

Mayor John Dailey agreed with Richardson, “I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, Commissioner Matlow, I probably support all of them, but I think it is part of a bigger conversation.”

Dailey suggested that Matlow hold off and wait for the workshop with the ethics officer.

“No, not for me. I am eager to get this accomplished and take a vote,” Matlow said. He indicated that many of the recommendations have been in front of them for some time, and there is no reason to keep waiting.

Williams-Cox agreed with Dailey and Richardson that it would be better to wait until the workshop to be sure all the concerns are discussed.

The motion failed in a 3-2 vote with Dailey, Richardson, and Williams-Cox in opposition.

8 Responses to "City Commission Defeats Matlow’s Motion on Ethics Ordinance, Plans February Workshop"

  1. The three commissioners are planning to support strong ethics so much, they plan to talk about it until Hell freezes over. Talk it to death until nothing gets done, then “claim we have discussed it at great length.” Confuse the public with smoke and BS, all the while claiming to support stronger ethics
    .

  2. Edward Lyle nailed it!

    “but I believe they have stumbled onto something here. The clear and present opposition to their calls for ethics reform verifies that the Gillum/DemoKKKrat Cloud of Darkness still looms heavily over the City of Tallahassee government. The roots of evil and corruption run deep to be sure.”

  3. That these clowns require someone else to explain “ethics” to them, and furthermore need someone else to make “recommendation” on how to deal with lobbying, misuse of public position, penalties disclosure, and use of non-public information.”… and moreover even require a “workshop” to discuss it all and accept months of delay to-boot… tells you all you need to know about the level and power of corruption that “still” exists within the City of Tallahassee government structure.

    That Dailey, Richardson, and Cox – all who have been held public office for quite a while – voted against, and even need this schooling in the first place… is even more telling. And why are they “waiting for a workshop to be scheduled”?… who the hell is running this sh!tshow anyway?

    I was never a fan of Matlow’s, and no longer a fan of Porter… but I believe they have stumbled onto something here. The clear and present opposition to their calls for ethics reform verifies that the Gillum/DemoKKKrat Cloud of Darkness still looms heavily over the City of Tallahassee government. The roots of evil and corruption run deep to be sure.

    A complete house cleaning is most definitely in order.

  4. Another reason for a nationwide search for a City Manager.

    Is Mayor Dailey paying for his WCOT campaign ads and reporting it on his campaign finance report?

  5. City Commissioners Matlow and Porter and Mayor Dailey misused their public office when they passed the Tallahassee Resolution Supporting Abortion. In other words, they misused their public positions to engage in abortion activism.

    Commissioners Richardson and Williams-Cox support abortion rights but voted against the Resolution because they had no legal authority or standing to vote for it.

  6. Let’s be clear, Dailey, Richardson, and Cox voted to keep being unethical. They have no interest in doing what is right, if they did, it wouldn’t take months to schedule.

    They have to be fired for the good of Tallahassee, they are corrupt, incompetent, and a monumental embarrassment to our community.

  7. Matlow is right, it shouldn’t take Months for this to happen since all the Information was in BUT, I see Daily’s point on waiting for the Workshop to be sure all the concerns are discussed and with the Ethics Officer in attendance

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