It appears Mayor Andrew Gillum is uncomfortable supporting recommendations from independent voices when it comes to more stringent ethics rules for elected officials. At the last City Commission meeting, Commissioner Scott Maddox asked the City Commissioners to vote for a resolution that supported Florida Senate Bill 582, entitled Misuse of Public Office Act which has been […]
When the City Attorney and City Auditor filled the in-house ethics officer position last month, they passed on hiring the former General Counsel of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement who also served as the agency’s Chief Ethics Officer. Tallahassee Reports has learned that the City of Tallahassee narrowed the selection of the City’s Ethic […]
On March 12, 2014, the City Commission will address the Ethics Advisory Panel recommendations that were not adopted at the Target Issue Workshop held on November 20, 2013. The City Commission appointed a citizen Ethics Advisory Panel (EAP) that first convened on November 8, 2012. The EAP was charged with examining the various City policies, […]
Tallahassee Reports has learned through a public records request that Tallahassee City Manager Anita Favors Thompson sent out an email soliciting donations from a city lobbyist, city vendors and city employees for a charitable event involving City Commissioner Gil Ziffer. City Commissioner Gill Ziffer told Tallahassee Reports he was not aware of the email. The […]
Over a six month period from October, 2012 until July, 2013 something special happened in City Hall. Something that a lot of people in this community had been seeking for a number of years. But those people were told they were naysayers and critics. The powers in City Hall told these people “take your three […]
The City of Tallahassee staff will formally ask the City Commissioners to vote against some of the major recommendations made by the Ethics Advisory Panel (EAP) on Wednesday during a City Commission workshop. The Ethics Advisory Panel, made up of nine citizens, including a retired Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and a former President […]
Chairperson Martha Barnett said something at the City’s Ethics Advisory Panel that a number of citizens have known for a long time: “We need more transparency and accountability in this digital age.” With that, the members of the Panel spent over two hours reaching consensus on major changes to the current rules and laws that […]
When the city commission voted to create the Ethics Advisory Panel, they asked the committee to evaluate existing policies or procedures governing ethics, financial disclosure, or transparency of the city government, and prepare and submit a report including any amendments to current policy. Based on today’s meeting, there will be major amendments to current policy. The meeting […]
Since October 1, 2012, the City’s Ethics Advisory Panel has held eleven meetings. The panel’s research includes gathering information from around the state on how other cities address ethics, listening to testimony from citizens, former city commissioners, and the former Executive Director of the Florida Commission on Ethics. The ultimate goal of the panel is […]
During its ninth meeting, the City’s Ethics Panel heard testimony from Sandy D’Alemberte and Former City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey. The City’s Ethics Advisory Panel was created to review ethical standards at city hall. If the testimony of D’Alemberte and Lightsey carry any weight with the panel, current and future city commissioners should be prepared to […]