The Palatka City Commission meeting on January 10, 2025, focused on the findings of an investigative report regarding potential conflicts of interest in city transactions. The meeting featured attorney Greg Rossman, who presented the final report of his investigation, which examined three transactions involving the city. Rossman indicated that he found a conflict of interest in one transaction but did not find any issues in the other two.

Commissioners expressed concerns about the investigation's thoroughness, particularly regarding the lack of interviews with key individuals involved in the transactions. Rossman explained that he had reached out to several people but could not compel anyone to speak with him, as he lacked subpoena power. He emphasized that his conclusions were based on the evidence available to him, which included documents and communications.

The discussion also highlighted the legal implications of filing a complaint with the Florida Commission on Ethics. City Attorney advised that due to recent legislative changes, only certain agencies could file such complaints, and individuals filing complaints would need personal knowledge of the allegations. This raised questions about how the commission could proceed with the findings of the investigation.

The meeting concluded with a consensus that the matter would now be in the hands of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which had been referred the case for further investigation. The commissioners agreed to await FDLE's findings before taking any further action. Public comments were invited at the end of the meeting, allowing community members to express their views on the proceedings.