Candidates lining up to replace Scott Maddox on Tallahassee City Commission

The vacancy on the Tallahassee City Commission created by the suspension of Scott Maddox this week creates an opportunity for those who lost previous elections, but also the civic-minded who never mounted a campaign for public office.

It's also caused a lot of speculation and activated the rumor mill about who's likely to be chosen to serve following Maddox's ouster hours after his indictment, along with business partner Paige Carter-Smith, on bribery, fraud, and other charges.

Gov. Rick Scott removed Maddox from office Wednesday by executive order, starting a clock that gives the City Commission 20 business days to appoint a replacement to serve until Maddox is reinstated or until his term ends Nov. 16, 2020.

People who are interested have until Dec. 22 to submit their applications and related materials to the treasurer-clerk to sort through and provide a short list for a City Commission made up of three newly elected members and one veteran of four years that leans heavily to the left. 

Indictment fallout:

• 44 COUNTS: FBI indicts Scott Maddox and associate Paige Carter-Smith on corruption charges
• Indictment: Mysterious 'Person E' refused to pay Scott Maddox for CRA vote
• Indictment traces Scott Maddox dealings with undercover FBI agents
• Mayor John Dailey announces process for filling commission seat after Maddox suspension

“I encourage everybody and anybody with an interest in serving city government to apply,” Mayor John Dailey said Thursday. “Now is a great time. It’s a new day. We have a strong commission. We’ve got to be able to find fresh faces and new ideas.”

Since the day Maddox was suspended, Dailey said he has received inquiries from about two dozen people, but didn’t feel it was appropriate to name them. He also said he had no particular people in mind who he would ask to apply, and that experience comes in many shapes and sizes – community leadership, nonprofit executives, religious organizations.

“This is the most important decision this commission will make in the next two years,” said Dailey, who has been mayor for about a month. “Our responsibility as community leaders and elected officials is to get it right.”

Even though it is a non-partisan position, the vacancy is attracting Republicans and conservatives who have traditionally not been able to get elected to the city commission.

It's also attracting longtime residents who have been more involved in state government, like Gus Corbella, senior director of government law and policy at Greenberg Traurig. He submitted his application Thursday, making the announcement on Facebook with a plea to friends to send Dailey a note of support.

“Throughout the course of my life and career, I have felt a very strong calling to public service, and this potential opportunity would allow me a chance to further serve my community and fellow citizens in a meaningful way,” Corbella said in a Facebook post.

Tallahassee insurance agent Will Messer, who ran unsuccessfully for county commission several years ago against Bryan Desloge, said he has also submitted his application.

"I believe I have a specific skill set that would be beneficial," Messer said. "I am offering up my service to further bring forth transparency, and a continued emphasis on the importance of honesty and integrity."

Asked whether he has a chance as a fiscal conservative, he said it's important to have different perspectives.  

"I can bring a lot of insight and credibility to the conversation," Messer said.

History as a guide

The last time the City Commission had to appoint someone to fill a vacancy was in August 2009, after Allan Katz resigned to accept an ambassadorship to Portugal. 

“It was the same time frame, same circumstances,” City Manager Reese Goad said. 
The city received 73 qualified applicants then, and the treasurer-clerk submitted a list of seven finalists, including Nancy Miller, Darryl Jones, and Gil Ziffer.

Back then, city commissioners Debbie Lightsey and Mark Mustian wanted James Apthorp, who wasn’t going to run for the seat in the next election cycle, while Mayor John Marks and then-Commissioner Andrew Gillum wanted Ziffer, who said he planned to run in 2010.

The stalemate was broken when Marks asked if anyone else besides Lightsey and Mustian planned to vote for Apthorp. When no one else responded, Gillum made the motion to appoint Ziffer, which was approved 3-1, followed by a motion by Lightsey to make it unanimous.

“It was sort of a strange process," Mustian said. "Trying to evaluate in a short time frame – a lot of 2-2 possibilities. For me, it was a small issue. I thought Mr. Ziffer was a good choice so I was OK with that. My guess is this is going to be all over the map, but a decision is going to be made.”

Mustian has been mentioned by several people as an excellent choice to replace Maddox, but he has no plans to spend the next two years on the commission.

 “If they wanted me to do it I’d consider it," Mustian said. "I am not planning to apply at this point, I may think about it, but I’ve done this before. If I really wanted to do it I’d run for it.”

A search for stability

Nancy Miller, who stepped down last month from the city commission, said the ideal applicant should be somebody experienced and who can provide stability.

“We have new commissioners, a new mayor, a new city manager and a new city attorney,” she said. “It is really important to have that sort of memory, somebody who has knowledge in local government, someone you’d expect to see at Tiger Bay, like Bert Hartsfield.”

As far as previous commissioners being candidates, Miller said, “Commissioners who decided to leave were sure they really wanted to leave.”

Mustian received one vote in a Capital Tiger Bay straw poll conducted Thursday. So did former mayor and gubernatorial candidate Gillum, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, former mayor Penny Herman and former Clerk of Courts Dave Lang.

Other people voted in jest for were Kris Kringle, Alfred E. Neuman (MAD magazine’s What, me worry? mascot) and Mike Miller, the undercover agent whose work helped seal the 44-count indictment against Maddox.

Several candidates who ran for city or county commission and lost in the last election received a vote, including state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, Bill Schack, Bob Lotane, Howard Kessler, and Emily Fritz.

Schack has begun campaigning on Facebook, telling his supporters to drop the mayor and city commissioners a line of support. Vasilinda said she’s considering it. Fritz wouldn’t comment.

Dustin Daniels, former chief of staff to Gillum who ran against Dailey for Mayor, is also said to be nosing around. And Lisa Brown, who ran against Matlow, has been mentioned as a potential candidate.

But other people speaking off the record said it would be bad form to select the opponent who fought a grueling campaign against those who got elected. How would Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox get along with Lotane, or Commissioner Matlow with Brown?

Other names in the straw poll included former property appraiser Bert Hartsfield, who received four votes, Tim Center, CEO at Capital Area Community Action Agency, with three votes, longtime lobbyist J.B. Clark with two votes, and Steve Birtman, a lobbyist and chairman of the Tiger Bay Board, with two votes.

Birtman laughed off the idea of a Republican lobbyist getting the nod for the vacancy. 

“There are all kinds of different camps in Tallahassee,” Birtman said. “They need someone who touches the most camps possible.”

Center, who has a law degree from Florida State University and has a long resume of nonprofit leadership, said he was interested.

“I’m planning to submit my letter and resume as outlined by the mayor,” Center said. “I’d be honored to serve if appointed and represent the city.”

No restrictions on running

Gil Ziffer, who just stepped down from the City Commission after nine years, received the most votes with five.

Ziffer said he doesn’t want it. 

“I would have pushed for someone like Mark Mustian, someone who has no issues with the other members and gets along with everyone,” Ziffer said.

He floated the idea of appointing someone for 60-90 days to give the commission breathing room to appoint someone more permanent.

Dailey said he doesn’t want someone temporary or to place restrictions on them.

“The charter doesn’t speak to the fact of stepping down or not running for reelection,” Dailey said.

Curtis Richardson, the only city commissioner with any tenure, said he doesn’t think he can require someone who is appointed to agree not to run in 2020.

“I personally wouldn’t want to impose that condition,” Richardson said. “We have sufficient time for us to get it done.”

Here's a list of applicants as of Friday evening:

• Austin Aycock
• Curtis Baynes
• Ricky Bell
• Shelly Bell
• Benny Bolden
• Gus Corbella
• Phyllis Taylor Dulebenets
• Jennifer Fishback
• Deborah Foote
• Byron Greene
• Matthew Harris
• David Hartley
• Howard Kessler
• William McDaniel
• Will Messer
• Rebecca Mueller
• Norm Roche

To see the resumes of the applicants, visit https://www.talgov.com/doingbusiness/CommissionApplications.aspx#applicants.

Contact Schweers at jschweers@tallahassee.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffschweers.