On Wednesday, March 22, the Tallahassee City Commission voted 3-2 to approve the collective bargaining agreement with the Big Bend Chapter of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, Inc. (PBA). Mayor John Dailey, City Commissioner Curtis Richardson and City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox voted for approval, while Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and Commissioner Jack Porter voted against ratifying the agreement.
The Commission vote came after the union members – on Monday – voted overwhelming to accept the agreement. According to officials, 85% of officers and investigators approved of the agreement as did 95% of sergeants and lieutenants.
The agreement covers a period of three years, commencing on October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2026. The estimated three-year base cost for the wage component of the agreement is $6,139,996. In FY24, the estimated cost for the pension component of the agreements is $239,000.
Under the agreement, police officer starting salaries will increase from under $50,000 to $60,000.
The new contract will provide the following economic package:
-All bargaining unit members shall receive a salary increase in FY24.
-Officer and Investigator starting sal- ary of $60,000.
-Step Progression annually for FY25 and FY26 for those that are eligible.
-Ave. increase of 4.2% FY25 and 3.9% FY26 for Officers and Investigators.
-Ave. increase of 4.4% FY25 and 4.3% FY26 for Sergeants.
-Ave. increase of 4.1% FY25 and 4.0% FY26 for Lieutenants.
-FY24-effective date of the increase is 10/1/2023.
Matlow and Porter Against Drug Testing Provision
City Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter recently voiced concerns about the drug testing provisions in the contract. The agreement contains drug testing language that has been at the center of a controversy related to the reinstatement of a police officer that tested positive for a controlled substance.
The language gives the police chief discretion when an officer tests positive for a controlled substance, which is not the policy followed by the City of Tallahassee for non-TPD employees. Earlier in the week, Matlow addressed the issue at a press conference. Matlow stated, “When we look at this entire issue what we have seen from city government, city management, and communications, has frankly been a cover up of illegal drug use at the Tallahassee Police Department. And now they’re engaged in disinformation so the police department can continue to use drugs without any consequences if they see fit. That’s wrong.”
During the city commission meeting, the city negotiator noted that the drug testing language has been included in the previous collective bargaining agreements with City of Tallahassee for at least the last twenty years. In addition, the negotiator noted that the language has been included in other union contracts throughout the state of Florida. The motion to remove the language – made by City Commissioner Jack Porter – failed.
City Commissioner Porter was clear in her support for the agreement other than the drug testing language. In addition to the drug testing issue, Commissioner Matlow also voiced concern about the actuarial analysis of the contract which will not be available for another couple of weeks.
I stated at the last Commission meeting that Reese Goad should be long gone from Tallahassee City Government. The illegal manner in which he used to select his friend Lawrence Revell as Chief of Police should have not been allowed. The parties to be turned blinded eyes to his actions.I also stated that Ms. Blair should not have been fired as HR Director. Reese Goad uses his Illegal discretionary power undeterred. Williams-Cox and Curtis Richardson are bragging on the outstanding jobs Reese Goad and Dailey are doing. All four of them should be removed, so we can try to get an ethical Government in place.
Where there’s Weed, there’s smoke screen. A hit dog will holler. Arooooooooo!!!!
Postscript Maiden…
Please report how much Mayor DAILEY, DWC, and King of the bundled contributions liar liar pants on fire Curtis Richardson returned to the PBA for widows. Oh, that’s right, NOTHING!
The PBA paying Scott Maddox $80,000 a year when he was in law school caught up with him, finally.
Protest To Much
It’s people like you who are oblivious to humanity. It’s amazing how many people look the other way say nothing and do nothing at evil. Eventually you end up hurting yourself more than humanity so have a nice ride over the cliff with the other lemmings.
The city attorney is doing a very good job and she said something so good for her! Not only do you say nothing you attempt to do character assassinations on those who did the right thing. Misdeeds will always catch up with you.
Mr Nick – you should consider a career in journalism, or political aide, or maybe lead a party. Matlow uses the self promoting Attorney to divide the government then cries the government is divided. Attorney Jackson has hated police since Marcy’s Law. Trying to prevent spouses of fallen officers to receive their due benefits. She’s just doing more of the same.
The City of Tallahassee city manager goes to work everyday thinking what is best for Mayor DAILEY, DWC, and Curtis Richardson to build up their campaign for their next reelection? The city manager devises ways to use taxpayer dollars so that the above three named get campaign kickbacks. The city manager makes over $200,000 a year so it is in his best interest to run the campaigns of the above name three elected officials 24/7 and he is unable to do what he took an oath to do which is to manage the city of Tallahassee. This is full out corruption. When the majority of elected officials vote to implement something at taxpayers expense without the pertinent information to make the decision and the city manager not only fails to step up to stop it, BUT he is behind it 100%. Operating in this manner has created a fiefdom even an oligarchy and our only hope is for the FBI to step up step in and shut it down.
This is why we have sewage spills, poor Lake quality, Environmental Agencies fining developers who contribute bundled contributions to the above named.
The city manager is COMPROMISED and is running a criminal enterprise called Enterprise Kickbacks and failing the City of Tallahassee.
Snidely Rick Fernandez works for the Ghazvini’s since he left the city, that’s how they kept him quiet.
They have taken it too far to allow an honest City Manager to ever take the helm of City Government because all the dirt done over the years is related. The City Manager is sitting on dirt older than John Marks tenure as Tallahassee’s Mayor. Problem is its all related and they can not allow even one body to ever be dug up. The commissioners wether they be honest or dishonest can never be privy to the dirt Goad is sitting on.
I wonder how they are keeping previous City Manager Fernandez quiet.
People who take drugs and misuse drugs give excuses, manipulate, and lie. It appears the police chief was manipulated instead of holding firm to a long standing policy. The city manager was ruthless in his decision to fire the HR Director. This is a display of poor leadership on so many levels, but it stops at the city manager. One of many reasons that Tallahassee needs to do a nationwide search for a city manager. You may as well take City Hall off of the building and designate it as Enterprise Kickback.
Certainly there is a qualified candidate with a proven track record in this nation to use their skills to properly manage this city.
I have asked this before, The Officer involved, He said he took the wrong Med’s by mistake. That they belonged to a Family Member. Does someone in his Family have a prescription for that Med? Has he done this before? Was the Drug Test random and just a coincidence or did someone turn him in about it?
I back the Blue all the way, that said……..
If this was a one time screw up and he wasn’t impaired on the Job, I would suggest 3 Day Rip without Pay and 6 Random Drug Tests and move on. If it happens again, he is Fired on the Spot with NO chance to Retire or receive Benefits.
Mr Frank
You are hilarious!
Matlow makes very broad…and false statements about our Police Department and …as usual, has nothing to back them up.
I support and thank the brave men and women of our Law Enforcement, and will always give them the benefit of the doubt over politicians… that said;
— This should not have even been brought to a vote before all contractual and fiscal data and impacts are been presented, considered, and discussed… full stop.
As for the drug testing matter – “… the city negotiator noted that the drug testing language has been included in the previous collective bargaining agreements with City of Tallahassee for at least the last twenty years.“
— (insert mic drop here) The related matter the Marxicrats and the rest should have brought forward for discussion is the circumstances that brought about the termination of Ms. Blair… or have they already been told not to discuss it due to possible litigation… hmmm
“Commissioner Matlow also voiced concern about the actuarial analysis of the contract which will not be available for another couple of weeks”
This should be the headline not the last paragraph.
Kudos to Matlow and Porter for voting responsibly. This is why Matlow won resoundingly over big money, bundled contributions, and a physician / police officer in a hotly contested race.