(TALLAHASSEE) -- Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a motion for fellow Commissioner Jacqueline Porter to be the new Mayor Pro-Tem.
That motion was promptly shut down and was clearly over before it started.
Nov. 19 was the first meeting of the month, when the city commission is supposed to elect a new Mayor Pro-Tem, allowing another member to serve. Mayor Pro-Tem Dianne Williams-Cox often votes with Curtis Richardson and, unsurprisingly, nominated him as her successor.
In opposition, Matlow stated that each commissioner has had a chance to serve as Mayor Pro Tem, except Commissioner Porter.
Commonly, or better said, traditionally, every member gets an opportunity to serve as Mayor Pro-Tem. Following a back-and-forth and another 3-2 vote, Commissioner Curtis Richardson was successfully elected to be the new Mayor Pro-Tem.
“I will not be supporting the substitute motion on the table,” Dailey said, “This is business; this is not personal.”
Jeremy Matlow, Dianne Williams-Cox, John E. Dailey(Mayor), Jacqueline "Jack" Porter, Curtis Richardson
(Photo: Tallahassee goverment website)
Matlow believes it is personal.
The question becomes, is her exclusion justified or bullying?
It is essential to note the decision came to another 3-2 vote, with the same well-documented voting groups, and it would not be a surprise if Commissioners Richardson and Williams-Cox nominate each other for Mayor Pro-Tem, effectively playing keep away from the minority voting group.
Mayor John Dailey gave a brief response, which prompted immediate backlash from Porter, who defended his stance. Dailey cited Porter’s poor relationship with the city manager as to why she is unfit. Annually, the city commissioners rate the City Manager Reese Goad on a scale of 1-5.
Mayor Dailey, along with Commissioners Williams-Cox and Richardson, have consistently given Goad a 5. On the other end of the spectrum, Commissioners Matlow and Porter have shown abysmal ratings, giving the city manager a 0 and 0.5, respectively. Their poor votes are not news; both have given Goad less than a two since 2021.
Per usual, Tallahassee’s city Commissioners find themselves in a 3-2 battle, which has left Porter feeling targeted. In a verbal standoff Mayor Dailey agrees the city manager works for the commissioners, but Porter’s argument does not push the needle for her.
“He reports to the five of us, but there's obviously a lack of confidence in him, and you've called for him to be publicly fired, so I'm not comfortable with that relationship,” Dailey said, reiterating he is maintaining professionalism amidst accusations Porter is being targeted.
Unsatisfied, Porter inquires about the proper role of the Mayor Pro-Tem, believing it is more ceremonial, and jokingly asks the mayor has vacation time scheduled. The commissioners proceed to vote, with Porter likely feeling just as targeted as Commissioner Matlow described.
To their credit, Matlow did serve as Mayor Pro Tem in 2020, with a unanimous vote, despite having explicitly and publicly called for the same city manager to resign the year prior.
Ultimately, something has changed. Since Matlow’s year as Mayor Pro Tem, he and Porter have been playing a losing game of monkey in the middle for the position, and do not look hopeful of getting it with the current city commission group.
The reality is that the Mayor Pro-Tem is comparable to a vice mayor for the commissioners, and it would defeat the precedent for him to appoint someone who has opposing views and relations with the people he frequently works with.
If you have anything to add to the article, please reach out to me at jason.f@lead4earth.org.
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