Workplace complaints, proxy war underpin Leon County property appraiser race drama

The race for Leon County property appraiser offers more drama than usual as incumbent Akin Akinyemi faces a challenge from Ken Preston, a former employee in the office who left under pressure two years ago amid formal complaints from coworkers and an outside investigation.

Beyond the personal jostling between Akinyemi, who’s seeking a third term, and Preston, who worked in the office for nearly 20 years, the contest has become something of a proxy battle between the two warring factions on the Tallahassee City Commission.

City Commissioners Jeremy Matlow and Jack Porter support Akinyemi while Mayor John Dailey and City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox back Preston. Akinyemi has publicly criticized the City Commission majority, led by the mayor, over growth issues.

In interviews with the Tallahassee Democrat, Akinyemi said Preston would bring “total mayhem” to the office were he to win while Preston accused Akinyemi of showing lackluster leadership.

"I think from the beginning, Akin made it clear that he likes a paycheck with that job," Preston said. "By not being a true leader and making sure that you're in the office and making sure policies and everything's in place, you're not a true leader, you're not setting a good example."

With no one else competing against the two Democrats, the outcome of the race will be determined in the Aug. 20 primary election. The universal primary is open to all registered voters, not just Democrats.

Akinyemi, 64, was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 and said he’s running to maintain exceptional customer service, create a new outreach department and implement innovative ideas. He said during his tenure, his office increased its visibility in the community and visited with more residents, including seniors, veterans and first responders, to educate them about their individual property tax needs.

"I'm a visionary, and I've laid a vision, a path for us, and we are doing a good job, so I need time to completely fulfill my vision," he said. "I'm proud of what we've done, but my leadership is needed to continue to fulfill these goals and objectives."

Head to head on the issues: Leon County property appraiser candidates face off in candidate forum

Preston, 62, said if he’s elected, he plans to bring his vision to the office and make sure the staff understands what needs to be done for the good of the citizens. He said he wants to bring a common sense approach to the office, ensure staffers are happy and make better use of technology.

"Well, the biggest thing we're going to do is get back to the basics and let the taxpayers know that the property appraiser job is to make sure we're set in all properties in Leon County, whether it's an improvement, vacant, tangible personal property or whatever," Preston said. "We want to make sure that they understand that's what our job is."

The Property Appraiser’s Office certifies property values and exemptions for more than 110,000 parcels totaling over $36 billion in market value and over $21 billion in taxable valuable.

The race is a novelty — the only one on 2024 ballots featuring a candidate trying to unseat their former boss. In interviews with the Democrat, both Akinyemi and Preston said they largely worked well together in the past, despite their current differences.

Coworker complaints touched off outside investigation into Preston

Preston was hired as a residential appraiser in 2003, well before Akinyemi’s election to the post in 2016. Shortly after the election, Preston was promoted to supervisor of the Exemption and Customer Service Department.

However, he was forced to step down in 2022 after two employees working under his supervision filed complaints against him in December 2021 and January 2022. The complaints prompted the office to hire Tallahassee-based Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A., to investigate.

The firm’s 20-page report, dated Feb. 18, 2022, says the employees complained about Preston’s “lack of interpersonal skills” and “inappropriate racial and gender comments.” They said his “off-colored comments and jokes, gossiping and overall management style (created) an unprofessional, stressful and disruptive work environment."

In an interview with the Democrat, Preston said the employees "lied" after he held them accountable for doing their jobs.

"There was a couple ladies in cahoots with one of the ladies in the office," Preston said. "They were saying I was mean, and they encouraged them to file a suit against me ... I never heard anything else about it."

Amanda (Corker, director of human resources and finance), was talking to me about it, that's when I explained that I didn't need to deal with this. I didn't need to get an attorney. I didn't need to do anything."

One employee, who said she was encouraged by Human Resources to complain in writing, began keeping a running list of issues she was having with him. But after she dropped the note, Preston found it, emailed copies to other clerks and displayed it in a frame in his office.

She accused Preston of taunting her with the note. But Preston said he framed it “as a reminder and a tool and a learning experience for him personally as a supervisor,” the report says.

The employees complained Preston made “rude comments or jokes” about their bathroom habits and the amount of time one of them took pumping breast milk at the office. One of the employees also said she spent roughly a quarter of her time handling Preston’s personal business, including working on invitations, fliers, thank you notes and other items not related to the office.

The law firm found “reasonable cause” to sustain some of the allegations, including doing personal business on office time and his handling of the note. The outside investigators also found “reasonable cause” that he violated the sexual harassment policy with comments about breast feeding.

“Although Mr. Preston’s conduct was rude, boorish and included comments with sexual and racial overtones, taken as a whole, it is insufficient to establish a sufficiently severe or pervasive hostile working environment to state a prima facie claim under well-settled law,” the report says. “However, reasonable cause exists to sustain several violations of policy for his treatment of co-workers.”

Records show Preston offered resignation after he was terminated

The law firm recommended the Property Appraiser’s Office implement training and education programs “to mitigate such complaints in the future.” Akinyemi said shortly after the report was completed, he gave Preston the choice to resign or be terminated.

Akinyemi said Preston was "mute” and didn't offer any response during the meeting with an HR manager.

A termination letter dated Feb. 23, 2022, was hand delivered to Preston's house, according to his personnel records, which were obtained by the Democrat. The termination was effective immediately.

However, two days later, Preston submitted a letter saying he was "resigning from my employment with the Leon County Property Appraiser's Office" and his last day was Feb. 23, the same day he got the termination letter.

"Thank you for the opportunity and years of employment,” Preston wrote. “Please contact me if you need additional information."

A week later, the Property Appraiser’s Office sent Preston a letter affirming his resignation. A spokesperson for the office said "no adverse action" was taken against his retirement benefits.

Preston, in an interview with the Democrat, said he's never been fired from a job.

"I did a great job, I think, supervising and managing folks," he said. "After the issues came up and the concerns, I told them, 'hey, I can just get on out of here.' I have enough time and everything to do what I'm doing."

In 2005, when former Property Appraiser Bert Hartsfield headed the office, Preston was demoted and suspended for a month after he was seen purchasing alcohol in uniform and using an agency vehicle, according to his personnel file. But his file also shows he received positive feedback from supervisors, including that very year.

"Ken always displays a positive attitude and eagerness to carry out assignments," one of his evaluations says. "Ken is an asset to the office."

In 2017, a year after Akinyemi was elected as property appraiser, he sent a letter dated Dec. 1, 2017, that notified Preston of a promotion to supervisor for customer service and exemptions.

"Again, congratulations on the new position," Akinyemi wrote.

Preston raising more money than Akinyemi, who's partially self-financing

Preston, a Tallahassee native, a Leon High School graduate and United States Army veteran, said his decision to run is based on a need for better leadership at the Property Appraiser's Office.

He added he's been getting calls and concerns about Akinyemi and how he manages the office.

"Leadership, it starts at the top," Preston said. "You have to be a true leader to make a difference in anything you do in life, and especially when you're a constitutional officer and making sure that you take care of everything."

Akimyemi defended his leadership and said he was “in the office every day.” He said Preston's decision to run against him is fueled by a need for retribution to "get back at people that he thinks did him wrong."

"Obviously, he wants a job," Akinyemi said. "If he comes here, it's going to be total mayhem ... It will be completely dysfunctional, because the people who have the most knowledge of what we do will be gone on day one, either being fired or being forced to leave."

Preston, a first-time candidate, has raised more money than Akinyemi, a former Leon County commissioner. According to the latest campaign finance reports, Preston has raised $50,105 and spent $48,399 while Akinyemi has collected $42,020, including $10,000 he gave himself, and spent $25,923.

Among Akinyemi's donors are Hartsfield, who served 24 years as property appraiser, and a number of office employees past and present, including Doug Will, who challenged Akinyemi in 2016. Others include state Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, who gave $250, City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow, who gave $1,000, and former County Commissioner Bob Rackleff, who gave $400.

Preston's contributors include former School Board member Fred Varn and former City Commissioner John Paul Bailey, who each gave $100, and David Bellamy, who ran against Matlow in 2022 and gave $1,000. Clay Ketcham, who also ran against Akinyemi in 2016, gave $250.

City commissioners take sides, weigh in on property appraiser race

Endorsements from Williams-Cox and Dailey appear on Preston’s campaign website. Williams-Cox said her family and Preston's have "deep Gadsden County roots," adding both their parents were friends and she and Preston became friends as a result.

"I believe in his ability to do the job based on his knowledge and experience," she said. "Ken has supported me in the past, and I am happy to now have the chance to support him."

Dailey said he's known Preston for more than 30 years.

“I think he has the expertise to do a great job,” he said. “I look forward to serving with him.”

Matlow said he's endorsing Akinyemi based on his long record of service.

"Akin Akinyemi is respected across our community as a public servant and provides steady, experienced leadership as our property appraiser," Matlow said.

Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @ TaMarynWaters on X.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Workplace complaints, proxy war underpin Leon County property appraiser race drama