After Brusing Election Cycle, Porter Passed Over for Mayor Pro-Tem Position

After a bruising election cycle that featured Tallahassee city commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter actively working to unseat their colleague and current City Commissioner Curtis Richardson, Porter was passed over for the ceremonial role of mayor pro-tem.

During the city’s reorganization meeting, Commissioner Richardson made the motion to appoint Williams-Cox to the position of mayor pro-tem.

Mayor Dailey defended the decision citing Porter’s consistent negative evaluations of city management. In addition, Dailey noted that Porter had publicly called for the firing of city manager Reese Goad – the person Porter would have to work with as the Mayor Pro Tem.

Dailey added, “the mayor pro-tem serves in my absence… I need to make sure that we have a relationship between the mayor pro-tem and quite frankly the four appointeds,” Dailey said.

The “appointeds” referred to the city manager, treasurer-clerk, city attorney and inspector general.

Porter challenged the move.

Porter said, “In the spirit of collegiality that we just all spoke about, I would love the opportunity to serve…Every other member of the Commission has had the opportunity to serve as mayor pro-tem. When you silence me, you silence the people who supported me.”

Matlow also responded.

Matlow said, “Historically, this position has always rotated based on seniority. We’ve only broken that tradition in the last four years, since Commissioner Porter was elected…the votes against Commissioner Porter have just seemed personal and deliberate, not just to divide the City Commission, but our city.”

Matlow controlled the One Tallahassee political committee which spent hundreds of thousands of dollars from out-of-state donors during the election cycle in an attempt to defeat Richardson.

The motion to appoint Commissioner WIlliams-Cox passed 3-2, with Dailey, Richardson, and Williams-Cox voting yes and Matlow and Porter voting no.