Goad notified commissioners of his intent to retire effective Sept. 30, 2026, or when a successor is hired. Goad has worked for the City of Tallahassee for 26 years, including serving as deputy city manager before being appointed interim city manager on Nov. 8, 2017. He was formally appointed city manager in September 2018 and has led the city for nearly nine years.

The city manager is one of four appointed officials established by the city charter and serves as the administrative head of city government. The position oversees daily operations, public safety services, utilities, budgeting, personnel decisions and implementation of commission policies.

Under Goad’s leadership, the city has managed a fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget of approximately $1.2 billion and assets totaling nearly $6 billion, including pension funds. The city manager also supervises roughly 2,923 employees and oversees six municipal utilities, the region’s largest law enforcement agency, Tallahassee Fire Department operations, more than 100 city parks and the Tallahassee International Airport.

To guide the transition, city staff reviewed proposals from two executive recruitment firms already under contract with the city — Ad-Vance and S. Renée Narloch & Associates. Staff recommended hiring S. Renée Narloch & Associates based on experience, qualifications and cost.

The proposed recruitment process is expected to take about 16 weeks and cost approximately $30,000, including advertising, candidate screening, background checks and finalist interviews. The search will include national advertising through professional organizations and direct outreach to experienced public sector administrators.

Following the recruitment process, finalists will participate in public interviews with the City Commission before a final selection is made.

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 12.0% and YTD violent crime incidents are up 33.7% through April when compared to one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the increase in property crime was driven by increases in residential (25.4%) and commercial burglaries (89.6%). The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – is down 7.2%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 32.2% while assault & battery incidents were up 24.5%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from January 2023 through April 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. For a brief period, the change in property crime has remained flat. However, over the last three months these crimes have started to increase.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

City staff outlined the potential impact of Senate Bill 1134, titled “Official Actions of Local Governments,” in a agenda item prepared for the May 13th city commission meeting. The law, signed April 22, 2026, takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The measure broadly prohibits cities and counties from funding, promoting or taking official action related to diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI. The statute defines DEI efforts as programs or activities tied to race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, including initiatives intended to influence hiring composition, provide preferential treatment or conduct targeted training and programming.

City staff warned that the law could affect multiple areas of municipal operations. Among the areas identified for further review are human resources policies and employee training programs, city-sponsored events and celebrations, minority and women-owned business enterprise initiatives, community grant programs and ordinances containing DEI-specific language.

The proposed staff recommendation asks commissioners to direct a comprehensive review of all city ordinances, policies, programs, sponsorships, grants and contracts that could be impacted by the legislation.

The law also prohibits local governments from funding or staffing DEI offices or employing DEI officers. In addition, municipal contracts and grants will now require recipients to certify they will not use city funds for DEI-related instruction or materials for employees or agents.

Staff noted that the legislation creates a resident enforcement mechanism allowing citizens to sue municipalities or officials for alleged violations. Potential remedies include injunctions, damages and legal costs. The law further states that local officials who knowingly violate the statute may be deemed guilty of misfeasance or malfeasance in office, which under Florida law could expose them to suspension by the governor.

City officials said several exceptions remain in place, including actions necessary to comply with federal and state anti-discrimination laws and recognition of official holidays and commemorative observances.

During legislative debate, bill sponsor Clay Yarborough said public events open to all residents generally would not violate the law, while programs limited to specific groups could face scrutiny.

City staff said additional legal guidance from the Florida League of Cities is expected later this summer as municipalities across the state prepare for implementation.

Matlow’s full statement is provided below:

“For the last six years I’ve raised warnings of the mismanagement and toxic culture created by Reese Goad after his appointment by a lame duck city commission in the height of the Maddox Corruption era.

While the timing of his resignation immediately following the sale of the hospital and golf course for pennies on the dollar is suspicious, it is a great day for the City of Tallahassee and an opportunity for us to move on to a brighter future.

In the interim we are in very capable hands with DCM Karen Jumonville who will bring stability during a national search for the next City Manager.

In November, a new City Commission will be sworn-in and should have the opportunity to select the new administrator from a broad pool of qualified candidates from across the country that can turn the page on division and help unify our city.”

Officers originally responded to the business at approximately 1:30 a.m. on April 5 in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were immediately initiated, and the victim was transported to a local hospital, where he sadly succumbed to his injuries.

Through their investigation, detectives with TPD’s Violent Crimes Unit determined that a fight broke out inside the business. During the incident, Williams produced a firearm and shot the victim multiple times before fleeing the scene.

Witness statements and evidence collected at the scene, led detectives to identify Williams as the suspect and locate the firearm used in the shooting.

On April 24, Williams was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 13.9% and YTD violent crime incidents are up 32.8% through March when compared to one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the increase in property crime was driven by increases in residential (19.8%) and commercial burglaries (100.0%). The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – was down 3.4%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 64.1% while assault & battery incidents were up 25.0%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from January 2023 through March 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. For a brief period, the change in property crime has remained flat. However, over the last three months these crimes have started to increase.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

The TPD watch commander said the shooting happened inside a sports bar called Zingales Billiards & Sports Bar, located at 1147 Apalachee Parkway.

At approximately 1:31 a.m. on Sunday morning, TPD responded to the area following reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, an adult male was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were immediately attempted, and the victim was transported to a local hospital, but sadly, he succumbed to his injuries.

Preliminary findings indicate the shooting occurred during a large physical altercation. Currently, there is no known ongoing threat to the public.

This remains an open and active investigation and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Following a thorough investigation, detectives with TPD’s Violent Crimes Unit determined that a large altercation occurred stemming from an ongoing dispute involving multiple individuals. During the incident, the victim attempted to intervene and stop one of the fights, at which point he observed the suspect, Jessie Davis V, striking another individual with a firearm. As the victim attempted to stop Davis, he was shot. Davis fled the scene after the shooting.

On April 1, Davis was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder and aggravated battery.

The YTD Numbers

The incident data -tabulated by TR – show that YTD property crime incidents were up 16.7% and YTD violent crime incidents are up 22.0% through February when compared to one year ago.

Property crimes encompass burglaries, thefts, and incidents of vandalism. Violent incidents include aggravated assaults, armed robberies, and physical altercations.

A look at specific crimes reveals the increase in property crime was driven by a 160.0% increase in commercial burglaries and a 27.5% increase in residential burglaries. The Auto Burglary & Theft category – which accounts for approximately 55% of all property crimes – was down 8.3%.

The violent crime data shows that robbery incidents were up 100.0% while assault & battery incidents were up 6.4%.

12-Month Trends

The chart below shows the 12-month trends of property and violent crime incidents from December 2022 through February 2026.

Property crime incidents began to decline in December 2024 and reached a 3-year low in October 2025. Since then, the change in property crime has remained flat.

Violent crime incidents peaked in October 2023 and reached a 3-year low in June 2025. Since then, violent crime incidents have been trending up.

TR received an unsolicited email on March 3 from Seeker Strategies, an Austin, Texas based firm that is described as “a progressive, Black and Brown-owned communications and advocacy firm that guides clients through an ever-changing cultural, political, and regulatory landscape.”

The firm focuses on communications and advocacy. The website states “We craft your story, tailor your message to the right audiences, and engage the press on your behalf…We identify the decision makers you need to move, enlist influencers, and deploy campaigns to shape policy.”

The email headline stated, “Commissioner Jack Porter available to talk on background.”

The email stated, “Tallahassee Commissioner Jack Porter is available to speak on background about what immigrants in her community are currently experiencing, and she can connect you with families affected by recent raids. The commissioner opposed the 287(g) agreement between the city of Tallahassee and the federal government this past October, and she’s also to speak about the impacts this is currently having on immigrants in Tallahassee. Let me know if you’d be interested in speaking with her, and I’ll get you connected.”

The email was sent on the same day that Porter participated in a forum addressing local immigration policy and 287(g) agreements. During the forum, hosted by Leon County Indivisible (formerly Resist Trump), Porter criticized City Manager Reese Goad and Police Chief Revell for their cooperation with federal officials via a 287(g) agreement.

For the record, Commissioner Porter has repeatedly ignored request for comments from TR.

Also, according to rate reports, the City of Tallahassee customers pay significantly less per kWh (13.0 ¢) under the standard municipal utility rate than both the Florida average (~15.8 ¢) and the U.S. average (~18.0 ¢).

The chart below compares the monthly cost of 1,000 kwh between the COT electric utility and the North Florida (NFL) Rate Index. The NFL Rate Index is the average of electricity costs for providers serving North Florida which include costs for Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Duke, and FPL-NWFL.

The chart shows that COT customers enjoyed significantly lower rates between January 2022 and July 2024. During this period COT rates were approximately 20% lower than the index.

However, since July 2024, the NFL Rate Index has decreased significantly while COT customers have experience modest increases.

The most recent information provided by the Florida Municipal Electric Association for January 2026, shows the monthly costs of a 1,000 kwh ranges from $116.73 in Lakeland to $183.98 for Duke, which serves customers throughout Florida, including customers in Wakulla and Bay counties. The cost for Tallahassee customers in January was $139.75.

National Rates

The average cost of residential electricity in the United States has climbed steadily over the past three years, reaching new highs in 2026. According to recent data, the national average residential electricity rate now sits at roughly 18.0–18.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), marking a year-over-year increase of about 5–6% from 2025 figures.

This upward trend reflects broader pressures on energy markets, including rising grid investments, fuel costs, and growing demand. In early 2026, average rates are approximately 19.2¢/kWh when measured by some inflation tracking sources, representing a nearly 48% jump from 2019 levels.

Over the last three years, prices have climbed from around 15–16¢/kWh in 2023 to the current levels. While regional variations remain significant—some states like Hawaii and California have far higher average rates—overall U.S. residential customers are paying more for electricity than they have in more than a decade.

Florida vs. National Average

In Florida, residential electricity tends to be less expensive than the national average, partly due to its generation mix and regulatory environment. Data from February 2026 shows Florida’s average around 15.77–16¢/kWh, which is roughly 15% lower than the U.S. national figure of nearly 19¢/kWh.

Despite lower rates, Floridians have experienced rate increases over the past few years. For example, reported prices in the state climbed from about 13.50¢/kWh in 2022 to mid-teens levels in recent years, reflecting ongoing upward pressure similar to national trends.

Chief Lawrence Revell highlighted the significance of the occasion, stating, “Promotions mark both achievement and responsibility. During our Bicentennial year, they also underscore how leadership passed from one generation to the next sustains this department. Each of these individuals has demonstrated the integrity and commitment to service that will continue shaping TPD’s future.”

Each promoted rank plays a vital role in the success of the organization. Majors and Captains provide strategic leadership and oversight to ensure department operations align with community expectations and professional standards. Lieutenants serve as key leaders who influence teams toward shared goals and strengthen operational effectiveness. Lastly, Sergeants, as first-line supervisors, are responsible for daily leadership, training, discipline, and morale while maintaining tactical and technical proficiency.

Founded in 1826, the Tallahassee Police Department is one of the oldest and longest-accredited law enforcement agencies in the nation. As TPD celebrates its Bicentennial in 2026, the department continues to honor its legacy while preparing the next generation of leaders to serve and protect the Tallahassee community.

Join us in congratulating Major Isaac Boykin, Captain Bartell Clemons, Lieutenant Scott Cherry, Lieutenant Robert “Bob” Varble, Sergeant Dale Biederman, Sergeant Lyle Ottley and Sergeant Justin Rodgers.