Matlow, Dailey draw battle lines as charter review board delivers pay raise, ethics plan

The city’s Charter Review Committee delivered its final recommendations — including a proposal to give city commissioners a pay raise — during Wednesday’s City Commission meeting.

City commissioners voted to accept the CRC’s report and take action on proposed charter amendments during their next meeting on April 10. And while discussion was relatively minimal, both Mayor John Dailey and City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow signaled where they stood on a couple of the proposals.

Matlow said he was against giving city commissioners a pay raise while contract negotiations drag on between the Tallahassee Fire Department's union and the city. Both sides have accused the other of delay tactics.

“I do believe it’s a non-starter to even discuss that with the ongoing (firefighter) negotiations, many who get paid less than we do,” Matlow said, echoing his previous comments on social media.

Dailey, meanwhile, appeared to throw cold water on giving the city’s Independent Ethics Board the authority to handle whistle-blower complaints involving city commissioners, the Inspector General’s Office and their staffs. The mayor noted that the CRC voted twice on the proposal, which has received vocal support from the Ethics Board and Matlow.

The CRC on March 7 initially voted 5-4 in favor of the amendment. Later that night, the CRC re-voted on the proposal, giving it unanimous support.

“It was a highly divisive vote,” Dailey said.

In October, the City Commission voted 3-2 to initiate its first charter review in 15 years, though its marching orders to the CRC were limited to only four issues: increasing city commissioner pay; increasing the size of the City Commission; moving two-candidate city elections from August to November; and requiring periodic reviews of the charter. The charter, a constitution of sorts, dictates how the city government operates.

The CRC voted in favor of pay raises, though it said the exact amount should be studied by committee before going to the City Commission for a vote. Currently, city commissioners, whose pay is tied to Leon County commissioner salaries, earn $45,288, while the mayor makes $90,577, the same as county commissioners.

The citizens committee rejected a proposal to add more city commissioners, something local business leaders supported, and a related measure to change city commissioner elections from at-large to single-member districts, which, which was backed by the local Republican Party. The CRC voted in favor of moving two-candidate election dates and mandating charter reviews every eight years.

Former City Commissioner Mark Mustian, who chaired the CRC, presented the committee’s list of recommendations to commissioners. He noted that the CRC supported two items that weren’t included in its bylaws: the whistle-blower proposal and an amendment that would allow the Ethics Board to investigate complaints against city commissioners while they’re serving on Blueprint or other outside boards.

“I will tell you it was a good committee,” Mustian said. “People were thoughtful, respectful of each other’s views, and I think it was a good process.”

City commissioners, during their next meeting, could reject, accept or modify any of the proposed charter amendments or even resurrect some from the cutting-room floor as they decide which ones to put on 2024 ballots. Voters will have the final say in the November general election.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee commissioners signal opposition to charter review proposals