The Tallahassee City Commission still has a decision to make about whether to put another potential amendment to the city’s charter before voters in November.
During their last meeting commissioners put off a discussion about allowing the city’s Independent Ethics Board to receive and investigate whistle-blower complaints …when those complaints name city commissioners, their staff, or the inspector general or his or her staff. Mayor John Dailey said two weeks ago the matter was too, quote, “monumental” to take up at that meeting. Now it’s scheduled for a discussion tonight (Wednesday).
Peter Butzin of Citizens for Ethics Reform says it’s disingenuous for the commission to say the whistle-blower proposal came up at the last minute.
“This has been an issue for at least two years," he said. "And we have been pointing out that there is a gap, and that the gap can only be addressed through a charter amendment. And they’ve had two years to act on it, and now they say, ‘Oh, there isn’t going to be enough time to address this issue in time for the November election.’”
Dailey also objected to claims by Citizens for Ethics Reform that the charter review committee approved the whistle-blower proposal unanimously. The committee’s first vote was 5-4. The second was unanimous.
Tallahassee commissioners agreed earlier this month on a handful of other recommendations from the charter review committee.
They voted to remain the same size at five seats…eliminate the August primary election in two-person city races…and hold charter reviews every 10 years. The charter review committee had recommended creating a citizen study group to advise them on increasing their salaries. But they voted 3-2 to align their salaries of $45,000 with the county commission salaries of $90,000. But voters will get the final say on those issues.
