KISSIMMEE, Fla. – In a contentious decision, the Kissimmee City Commission resolved on Tuesday evening to temporarily halt its current method of handling ethics complaints against elected officials. This decision comes amid ongoing investigations involving Mayor Jackie Espinosa and Commissioner Janette Martinez.
The commission voted 3-2 in favor of suspending the practice of forwarding ethics complaints to a court-appointed special prosecutor. This pause will remain in effect while the city drafts a new ordinance to better define the investigation process.
The decision followed intense discussions within City Hall, where both residents and commissioners expressed concerns about why the existing process was being interrupted, especially with active investigations in progress.
During the public comment period, one resident remarked, “It seems like the process is only being paused now because certain individuals are uncomfortable with it.”
In April, the commission had decided to send two ethics complaints involving Espinosa and Martinez to the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, allowing for a special prosecutor to be appointed to examine the allegations thoroughly.
City officials noted that the current procedure incurs a significant financial burden on taxpayers, as the special prosecutor charges the city $475 per hour.
“There’s no process for the city to evaluate whether there’s merit to any of the complaints, and so we are simply on the hook — the taxpayers are on the hook,” City Attorney Kalanit Oded said during Tuesday’s meeting.
The city’s decision also follows a legal challenge filed by Espinosa’s attorney with the Sixth District Court of Appeal. The motion argues the Ninth Judicial Circuit does not have jurisdiction over the complaints and says the allegations should instead be reviewed by the Florida Commission on Ethics.
“Complaints that have been brought forward and may come forward against anybody on this commission are frankly complaints that could be brought before the Commission on Ethics,” Oded said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners also voted against sending two additional ethics complaints involving Espinosa and Martinez to the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Despite the city’s pause, ethics complaints can still be filed directly with the Florida Commission on Ethics.
Commissioner Martinez opposed delaying the investigations.
“Waiting six months, it’s ridiculous,” Martinez said. “I want to move forward with these motions. I want to see this in front of a prosecutor. I want to see this process move so we can have relief and we can get back to doing business.”
The city manager also announced another ethics complaint against Espinosa was expected to be presented to the commission during its June 2 meeting.
