Ethics officer outlines trainings, budget and complaint referrals; board reviews three‑year strategic plan
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Summary
City of Tallahassee ethics officer Dwight Floyd on Aug. 19 outlined training plans, budget items and two sworn complaints forwarded to Tallahassee Police Department internal affairs, and presented a draft three‑year strategic plan for board review.
Dwight Floyd, the City of Tallahassee ethics officer, briefed the Independent Ethics Board on Aug. 19 about training, budget items, complaint referrals and a draft three‑year strategic plan that staff will bring back with measurable goals.
Floyd said the office completed a series of trainings, is creating an online advisory course required by city ordinance for appointed advisory groups, and plans to require annual training for roughly 33 advisory groups and about 300 people. He said the office is working with the treasurer‑clerk’s office and the communications and information‑technology departments to promote the campaign contribution refund program in utility bills and on radio and television.
On budget and operating expenses, Floyd listed standard items such as legal services, voice‑over fees (noted as $20 per month), a learning management system (Rustici), conference registration and travel planned for December, and an item he described as $13,000 that “really covers 2 reports rather than 1.” He reported a prior balance figure spoken in the meeting as $131,000 and said he expected a year‑end balance somewhere around $80,000, though he framed that as an estimate.
On complaints, Floyd reported two sworn complaints that he forwarded to the Tallahassee Police Department internal affairs office: one alleging a police officer drove 10 miles over the speed limit and changed lanes without signaling, and a second alleging neglect of duty and an incomplete report. Floyd recommended closing those two matters administratively after referral; the board moved to recommend closing the matters and voted in favor.
On the strategic plan, Floyd said staff completed a SWOT analysis tied to proposed activities and would return in September with measurable goals and bring a final draft in October. He said staff are developing investigator training in coordination with an external subject‑matter expert and noted the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) offers investigator training tracks and webinars the office may use.
Floyd also said he is working with Human Resources to recognize a change in duties and compensation for the administrative specialist (referred to in the meeting as Tasker/Tasper Leverson Green), moving the position from part‑time clerical to a role with professional duties and compensation aligned to those duties; Floyd said he will return to the board with details.
Why it matters: the training rollout and strategic plan set expectations for annual ethics training across city advisory groups and build internal capacity for investigations; closed referrals to internal affairs show staff are following interagency referral protocols for sworn complaints.
The board asked members to review the draft strategic plan, provide input on measurable goals, and expect a September return with proposed goals and a final plan in October.
