Residents raise safety and accountability concerns at Pahokee meeting: dog attack and missing‑funds inquiry

Two members of the public used the Sept. 23 commission meeting to press the city on safety and accountability.

Alice Whitaker, who identified herself as a Pahokee resident, described being knocked down and bitten three times by a neighbor’s dogs while walking her pet. Whitaker said she received stitches, is on antibiotics and received rabies shots because officials could not confirm the dogs’ vaccination status. "They bit me three times," she told the commission, and said the incident left her frightened to leave the house because the owner keeps multiple large dogs in the yard near a daycare.

Commissioners and staff explained that enforcement options are limited when the biting animal cannot be positively identified. The mayor and city staff encouraged Whitaker to document future incidents, file police reports and said county animal control is the primary enforcement authority; the mayor arranged to provide the county commissioner’s contact information.

In a separate public comment, Curtis Prior asked about an unresolved inquiry into missing city funds that had been raised in a May meeting. City Attorney said she had contacted the State Attorney’s Office, provided the office with a memorandum and that an assistant state attorney assigned to the matter had promised to issue a report; she said she would forward any report to commissioners when it is received and that the matter is now with prosecutors.

Commissioners asked the attorney to follow up with the State Attorney’s Office and to provide an update at the next meeting.