(TALLAHASSEE, FL.) -- Mayor John Dailey opened April’s city commissioner meeting with a reminder to do your taxes and recognized National Fraud Awareness Month.
Each year, over a billion dollars of fraudulent activity is reported by Florida seniors.
Afterwards, the commissioners congratulated Tallahassee Lineman for winning the 2025 FMEA safety award. The Mayor made sure to praise the sacrifice and commitment the FMEA has towards their job.
Photo Credit: City of Tallahassee
Video Credit: YouTube
The commissioners also got an update regarding the St. Joe company situation.
During the March commissioners meeting, citizens expressed discontent over missed deadlines and unsafe conditions left by St. Joe Company. As mentioned in last month's meeting, St Joe’s company had attempted to use the 2024 natural disaster exemptions to get an extension for the construction of Orange Avenue. Unlike past meetings, St. Joe’s company was in attendance and commented on the issue.
The next half hour of the meeting was made up of different testimonies, from parties involved in construction as well as unhappy homeowners. St. Joe’s company, as well as Realty ONE Group Next Generation, were in attendance and communicated a desire to continue construction.
As the meeting went on, the city attorney was frequently called upon for options the commissioners might have going forward.
Before the commissioner's discussion, there was already a punitive damage meeting set, but they were advised against it. The commissioners consistently stated their goal was to get the construction completed, not necessarily to punish, especially not at the expense of timeliness.
Video Credit: YouTube
Mayor John Dailey said, “We will slow construction of that road for a year or two because it'll be tied up in the courts. I don't know all the legal proceedings going into the governor's emergency order for protection or non-protection. But I do know that the attorney has told me is a complex legal issue, and it will take time in the courts to unravel."
As the commissioners deliberated, they noted St. Joe’s company came to the commissioners' chambers and publicly stated they are committed to finishing the project.
Mayor Dailey, in particular, mentioned the fact that the company claimed to operate ‘in good faith’, but remained the sole dissenting vote in the resolution. The Mayor was also the only vote against the resolution to begin the process of imposing punitive damages on St. Joe's Company in March.
The commissioners voted 4-1 to cancel the Apr. 21 punitive damage hearing and establish a sixty-day deadline for St. Joe’s Company to reach a land agreement with the city.
Mayor John Dailey disagreed with all versions of the motion, believing the timeframe was too short to expect anything of value to be accomplished. Commissioner William Dianne-Cox amended Commissioner Jeremy Matlow’s motion, also agreeing that sixty days is a short time frame.
Video Credit: YouTube
The agreed-upon motion requires St. Joe’s company to have an agreement to execute, established before the deadline.
Commissioner Diane-Cox’s addition means St. Joe’s company does not have to complete a deal within sixty days, only agree to move forward.
If the construction company does not cooperate, a subsequent hearing will be scheduled.
Thank you for reading. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to comment and email me at jason.f@lead4earth.org.
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