The City’s Independent Ethics Board was told today, that absent a special workshop scheduled by the Tallahassee City Commission, it is likely their work on a new ethics ordinance will not be addressed by elected officials until next year.
When asked when elected officials would address the proposed ordinance, Julie Meadows-Keefe, the Board’s Ethics Officer, said the city attorney informed her that the City would want to “workshop” the issue.
However, currently there are no open dates for workshops in 2019.
Meadows-Keefe did say the City may be able to schedule a “special workshop” to take up the proposed ordinance.
At the meeting, Board member Gwen Graham said if any city commission members are watching, I hope they see the urgency of the issue and “will do their job.”
Board Chairman Richard Herring said the wait is frustrating but that the Board has done their work and the ball is in the City’s court.
Before the Board took a break, Graham again spoke to the importance of the issue and urged city commissioners to expedite the process.
The new ordinance was developed to strengthen the power of the board, which has been criticized by its lack of action in high profile cases.
For example, a complaint filed against former City Manager Rick Fernandez after he accepted Florida State football tickets from a city lobbyist resulted in a written letter of reprimand from the Board.
The outrage sparked by the complaint eventually caused Fernandez to resign.
The drafted ordinance strengthens the board’s authority by allowing for subpoena power, stiffer punishments, and a zero tolerance policy on any gifts.
Ethics Board Member Gwen Graham Urges City Commission to “Do Their Job” added by Staff on
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Graham/Hurm is a Professional Politician Wanna Bee riding on her Daddy’s name. And she is a liberal who sided with the House Dems almost all the time. I’m just glad she isn’t our Governor. BTW, Tallahassee is run by liberals…it is easy to tell…high taxes, high crime, electric scooters. Tax Tax Tax
Q: A tiny bit of subterfuge perhaps but; why doesn’t Mrs. Steven Hurm/Gwen Hurm use her real/legal name as it is today?
A. Her hat is/has/always will be in the ring for any kind of elected office and Mr. Steven Hurm/Gwen Hurm doesn’t give her the same Democrat base jolt like it did when she was single.
Is this fully on the ethics side of things, especially given she’s on the ETHICS board. Hmmm??
Our City Commission is hopelessly corrupt. And the Ethics Board is being run by someone who is being forced out for being, wait for it…UNETHICAL!
What could go wrong?
Don’t be too impressed with Ms. Graham:
She is on the city ethics board only so she can remain politically visible until she can run for something else. He interest is not in improving ethics in city government, but in advancing her own political agenda.
Her political experience is one two year term in Congress, a hotbed of unethical political activity and lobbyist influence. It’s a place to learn deal making and self promotion. It’s most definitely not a place to learn government ethics.
The Tallahassee Democrat is in the Graham organization’s pocket, so they won’t be printing anything adverse about her.
She should be replaced with a citizen who has no political ambitions.
Gwen should do her own job before she goes around calling the City out for not doing theirs. She is on the board who is letting the unethical ethics officer dictate her own terms for when she is going to leave. I thought Gwen was going to do her job when she wanted to talk about the ethics officers conduct, but then she chickened out last month and now she is letting the unethical officer dictate the terms for her departure.
Does anyone still remember back in the campaign for Governor the horror stories of how Gwen and her Father were building an intrusive mall deep in the environmentally delicate Everglades that was going to absolutely ruin water quality, contribute to red tide, displace the manatees and gators and cause global warming to kill us all in a mere matter of a few years?
Kind of funny looking back at that crap now!!!
From almost 1 year ago:
https://tallahasseereports.com/2018/08/05/gwen-grahams-american-dream-mall-investment-becomes-campaign-issue/
When a Dream becomes a Nightmare.
Gwen Graham did sweep a sexual harassment case under the rug. She made it go away so no one would see it and the perpetrator got to keep his job. I know women who did not vote for her in the governors race because of what she did.
Right.
As Gwen Graham was brokering a monetary settlement and transfer when Rocky Hanna’s would no longer allow a teacher to teach at Leon High after she ended her relationship with the Principal Hanna, why didn’t Gwen Graham report Rocky Hanna to the Florida Department of Education Professional Practices for dating a teacher he supervised and evaluated as a sitting Principal? Clearly an ethics violation per the Educator Standards of Ethical Behavior. A lack of ethics all the way around.
Jackie Jackie Pons. Get some help you moron! You should be celebrating NOT being in prison.
As I have always said filing ethics complaints have long lasting impact!
Especially when validated by the onerous process.
Thank you Dr. Jackson!
This should have been taken care of a while back.
Gwen Graham is a keeper and exactly what we need to put trust in our local government!