TALLAHASSEE, FL — Tallahassee City Manager Reese Goad announced his resignation on Tuesday, April 28, after more than 31 years of public service, including a 26-year tenure with the City of Tallahassee.
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In a release from the City of Tallahassee, Goad’s retirement will be effective Sept. 30, 2026, or when a new city manager is selected. Goad said in part,
"It has been my honor to serve as Tallahassee’s City Manager for the last nine years. Throughout my career with the City, it has been a privilege to work alongside exceptional colleagues to strengthen our organization, which is defined by a culture of excellence, deep commitment to teamwork, and an unwavering spirit of resourcefulness. Together, we navigated challenges, embraced opportunities, and consistently strived to provide the best level of service to the residents of Tallahassee, and I’m proud to say we delivered."
The City of Tallahassee is set to search for a new city manager following Reese Goad's resignation Tuesday morning.
We reached out to Goad for additional comments, but he wasn't available, instead Mayor John Dailey gave comments highlighting the search process for a new City Manager. Dailey said he plans for a new city manager to be picked before the November election, ensuring there will be no gap in leadership.
"For the purposes of what we're about to embark on, it will be a simple majority. To the question of the process and the timeline, well, that will come back to us in the agenda item at the next meeting," Dailey said.
Dailey said the next steps will include a nationwide search decided with community input, but ultimately by city commissioners.
"It will be a seamless transition from Reese Goad being the city manager to the hiring of the next city manager of the city of Tallahassee," Dailey said.
However, City Commissioner Jack Porter said the timeline is not up to the mayor.
"I think that we need to take our time to make sure that this is done right. If we all feel as a community and as elected officials that we've gone through a search process and we have found the perfect candidate, then I'm ready to move forward. I think it's too early to say whether we should let the election dictate it or not," Porter said.
City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow also doubled down on the proposed timing of the search.
"It would make no sense to install a City Manager 30 days before a new City Commission is sworn in. I think that will feed to the type of divisiveness we've seen in our community," Matlow said.
Dailey said an item regarding the next steps will come before the City Commission next month.
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