Tallahassee Reports has learned that the recent jury verdict in favor of fired City of Tallahassee firefighter, Mark DeCarlo, included $700,000 for “mental anguish.” The total judgement awarded was $850,000. See our previous report here. Tallahassee Reports has obtained a copy of the verdict form. The entire form can be viewed here. The image below (click […]
The City’s Independent Ethics Board has been considering adopting an ethics pledge for Board members since November of last year. However, it appears the Board members cannot get comfortable with the language. In addition, during the meeting, City Attorney Lew Shelley, representing the City Commission, spoke to the Board and urged them not to adopt […]
If you live in the Northeast part of town, past Interstate 10 (I-10), you are in a part of town that is responsible for a large share of City property taxes and City electric rates. In other words, you are a major financial supporter of City services. However, if you live in this part of […]
Six years after the City Commission voted to end deferred compensation – the practice of augmenting Commissioner salaries with $20,000 – one former City Commissioner continues to receive financial benefits every month due to the program, even though she retired after the program was voted down. This is how. The City of Tallahassee’s Charter says […]
Julie Montanaro of WCTV is reporting that a verdict has been reached in a Tallahassee whistleblower trial involving a City of Tallahassee firefighter. WCTV reports that former firefighter Mark DeCarlo, who claimed he was fired for blowing the whistle on leaky hoses and unsafe equipment, was awarded nearly $850,000 dollars in lost wages and benefits late […]
Since the Great Recession, Florida Department of Education data shows that K-12 Leon County teacher salaries have lost ground to average salaries state-wide. However, during the same period, Leon County was able to retain teachers at a higher rate when compared to state of Florida trends. The graph below shows the annual comparison of the […]
Over the last year, multiple sources have contacted Tallahassee Reports about the potential bias of Tallahassee Democrat reporter Jeff Burlew’s reporting on the Leon County School Board and Superintendent Jackie Pons. Previoulsy, the complaints have been about the number of stories, 40-50, dedicated to the coverage of the investigations into the awarding of construction contracts […]
What started as a City subsidized high-end restaurant can now function as a night club. The City Commission, despite concerns from City Commissioners Scott Maddox and Gil Ziffer, decided not to establish hours for the Edison restaurant. The restaurant will now be able to stay open as late as 4 a.m. Commissioners Maddox and Ziffer […]
On Saturday, February 13, 2016, a “Valentine Day Soiree” was held at the University Center Club on FSU’s campus to benefit the Brian Jackson Dystonia Research and Discovery Program, a joint initiative of the Florida State University College of Medicine and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. The Brian Jackson Dystonia Research and Discovery Program was created with […]
Tallahassee Reports recently published an analysis of Leon County High School enrollment numbers and growth rates over the last five-years. It was the first analysis published by a local media outlet aimed at providing information about the need and location of a new high school. The report can be found here. Current Superintendent Jackie Pons […]