Gainesville Commissioner to Hold More Sunshine Meetings This Week

Gainesville City Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker will continue holding Sunshine meetings this week where she meets with one other commissioner and staff department leaders.

Duncan-Walker says that some employees fear retaliation for reporting their concerns to the city's Department of Human Resources and the Office of Equal Opportunity (formerly the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

During one of the meetings, Duncan-Walker issued a "disclaimer" and said the concerns are not a "direct reflection upon either of the leaders of those offices, but is a reflection of" where the city can improve their policy. She acknowledged that employees experience a "chilling effect" when they report concerns to the departments.

So far, Duncan-Walker has already spoken about the issues with Commissioner Ed Book, Mayor Harvey Ward and Commissioner Casey Willits.

All the meetings have, and will occur in the Roberta Lisle Kline Conference Room, which is on the basement floor of City Hall (200 E. University Ave.)

Tomorrow, November 5 at 1:00 p.m., Duncan-Walker will meet with Commissioner James Ingle. At 3:00 p.m. on the same day, Duncan-Walker will meet with Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut.

On Friday, November 6 at 2:15 p.m., Duncan-Walker will meet with Commissioner Bryan Eastman.

The City of Gainesville has not published video or audio of the meetings on their website. GnvInfo has been showing up to record the meetings and they have been uploaded to the publication's YouTube channel.