TALLAHASSEE, Fla. \u2014 In a reorganization vote Wednesday, city commissioners in Tallahassee elected Curtis Richardson to serve as mayor pro tem. <\/p>\n
He will take the role previously held by Dianne Williams-Cox.<\/p>\n
The mayor pro tem takes charge when the mayor is absent, disabled, or removed from office. Commissioners elect a mayor pro tem every year.<\/p>\n
Before the vote, Commissioner Jeremy Matlow made a motion to make Commissioner Jack Porter the next mayor pro tem, citing she was the only one of the current commission who had never served in the role.<\/p>\n
The mayor and the other two commissioners voted no. Mayor John Dailey explained his vote.<\/p>\n
“Commissioner Porter, you consistently give the city manager a zero on his evaluation year after year after year. It’s important that, in my absence, the mayor pro tem has a working relationship with the manager and with senior staff, especially in a declared state of emergency. I’m not comfortable with the relationship that’s there,” Dailey said.<\/p>\n
He also referenced how Porter has called for City Manager Reese Goad to be fired.<\/p>\n
Porter responded saying, “Who works for who?”<\/p>\n
She also argued a longtime absence from the mayor in the next year was unlikely, adding, “It’s just not genuine that the mayor pro tem has anything to do with decision-making on their own in the case of an emergency.”<\/p>\n
The vote for Curtis Richardson passed, also on a 3-2 vote.<\/p>\n
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