The city's Independent Ethics Board moved swiftly to find a new ethics officer after its incoming one bowed out amid controversy over his Twitter feed.

On Thursday, the board voted unanimously to extend an offer to a previous finalist: Dwight Floyd, retired bureau chief for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with more than three decades of experience managing officer discipline cases. On Friday, Floyd accepted.

“I am honored to have the support of the Tallahassee Independent Ethics Board,” he said, “and I look forward to serving this community as its next independent ethics officer. The recent changes to the city’s ethics code set a high standard for Tallahassee, and I am eager to get to work.”

The decision to hire Floyd came during an emergency meeting called after political tweets came to light written by Keith Powell, a veteran state ethics investigator who was set to start work next week as the city’s new independent ethics officer.

More: New Tallahassee ethics officer in hot seat after politically charged tweets surface

The tweets included sharp barbs against Democrats and a complaint about a gay kiss shown during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. They prompted criticism from Democrats, some in the gay community and others on social media.

And while Powell initially hoped to weather the controversy, he bowed out of the post on Wednesday. The tweets in question surfaced via an anonymous email sent to the current ethics officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, at least one board member and others, including the Tallahassee Democrat.

Board member Richard Herring expressed regret that a handful of tweets outweighed Powell’s 30-plus year career and downright disgust over the anonymous emails.

“I am appalled that this discussion was the result of an anonymous email sent at the 11th hour with what at least appears to me to be flagitious intent,” he said. “I wonder if the sender could stand the scrutiny they have imposed on someone else.”

Board member Carlos Rey said political beliefs of applicants shouldn’t play a role in whether they’re selected. He urged the board not to compile a social media dossier on any of the candidates, something suggested by board attorney John Reid.

“If we call people and they tell us as a professional he has not been biased, he has not been partisan, he has treated everyone professionally — that’s what matters to me,” Rey said. “I don’t care what he believes in as far as his position on politics. If it doesn’t affect his job, then why should I care?”

Board member Gwen Graham, who was forced out of the Rebuild 850 project to help hurricane victims over her tweets critical of Gov. Ron DeSantis, said people of “good faith” can differ on their feelings about Powell’s social media.

“That’s not what this is about,” she said. “It’s about finding an ethics officer that no one in the community can have a question mark about. We’ve been operating under a cloud. I want this board to be out from under that cloud.”

Powell, who was well-regarded by people on both sides of the political aisle, initially hoped to keep the job. But he decided instead to withdraw, saying in a Wednesday news release he didn’t intend to offend anyone by his tweets and was sorry if he did.

His departure comes as the board’s first ethics officer, Meadows-Keefe, is leaving amid acrimony following a more than five-year tenure. She said Thursday she intends to leave Feb. 18.

Last year, she announced she would step down in February following controversy over a personal relationship she had with a top appointed official. She later sued the city, saying she was illegally forced out, and the board, which she said did nothing to stop it .

Floyd will earn a $90,000 annual salary, the same amount offered to Powell.

Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.

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