PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Geoffrey Jacobs wants his old job back.
At a recent town commission workshop, the former mayor and current commissioner declared his intent to lead Pembroke Park again — but not before unleashing a blistering critique of his fellow commissioners and their qualifications.
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“I would like to put my name back in for the mayor position and lead this town out into a positive direction for the next two years,” Jacobs announced.
But rather than simply stating his candidacy, Jacobs spent over 20 minutes chastising his colleagues for what he called a lack of leadership, vision and basic understanding of town operations.
In a tense exchange, Jacobs grilled Vice Mayor Erik Morrissette on a critical deadline related to town finances.
“Do you know when the audit’s due?” Jacobs asked repeatedly. When Morrissette admitted he didn’t know the date, Jacobs retorted, “You’ve been in the position for two years. And unfortunately, it’s probably one of the most critical dates we have in Pembroke Park.”
Commissioner Bill Hodgkins also came under fire. During the meeting, Jacobs took issue with Hodgkins’ statement about wanting to move the town forward if he became mayor. Jacobs responded by pointing out that Hodgkins had already been serving on the commission for four years, implying that he should have a better understanding of the town’s operations by now.
Jacobs said, “You’ve actually been here in town for four years,” and sarcastically added, “No, it’s important. It’s very important.”
Throughout the meeting, Jacobs painted a picture of a commission he believes is dangerously unqualified.
“This town has suffered for lack of leadership from this dais, drastically,” he said. “You guys have all been here two years. Commissioner Hodgkins has been here four. You should have a grasp and understanding of everything that’s going on here in the town at this point.”
He accused his colleagues of poor hiring decisions, neglecting key infrastructure projects, and ignoring grant deadlines that could cost the town “a great deal of money” if not met by 2026.
“You make, you’ve made some very, very poor leadership decisions here in the town,” he said. “You don’t have the leadership skill set yet.”
Jacobs even suggested some commissioners could be putting the town in legal jeopardy by directing staff.
“You’re putting (the town) in a position of liability for the lack of knowledge on things you’re doing. You shouldn’t be meeting with town staff. It’s illegal to be directing town staff,” he claimed.
The town attorney later clarified for the record that no violations of the Sunshine Law or other statutes had occurred, stating, “I’m not aware of any indication that any member of this commission has engaged in any activity that would violate the Sunshine Law.”
Jacobs’ critics point to his own record as mayor, which was marred by controversy and legal disputes.
In 2022, Jacobs was accused of misusing more than $10,000 in public funds to charter a yacht for a holiday party. In 2023, he called 911 during a meeting and accused Mayor Ashira Mohammed of being armed—a claim that led to a public search, no weapon found, and Jacobs being charged with filing a false police report. The charges were later dropped.
Former Town Attorney Melissa Anderson has filed a lawsuit against the town of Pembroke Park, alleging that Jacobs subjected her to a hostile and discriminatory work environment during her tenure.
Anderson claims that Jacobs made derogatory remarks about her gender and sexual orientation, including using offensive language and sending her a homophobic TikTok video.
She also alleges that the town failed to take appropriate action in response to her complaints and ultimately terminated her employment in December 2022. Anderson is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
Former Pembroke Park Human Resources Director Babette Friedman has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the town and Jacobs.
In the lawsuit, she alleges that Jacobs created a hostile work environment, including an incident where he called her a “Nazi” during a public food drive in May.
Friedman, who is Jewish and a descendant of Holocaust survivors, claims that Jacobs’ behavior made her working conditions intolerable, leading to her resignation. She is seeking over $2 million in damages.
Additionally, an independent investigation commissioned by the town found that Jacobs engaged in a pattern of bullying, intimidation and retaliation against staff members.
Other town employees have also resigned, citing Jacobs’ behavior as a contributing factor. For example, the town clerk resigned, referencing Jacobs’ conduct.
Jacobs turned the tables on his critics by suing the town, seeking $1 million, claiming, among other things, that his First Amendment rights were violated.
Despite these past issues, Jacobs insists he’s the only one who understands the stakes.
“We have projects that need to be completed in a timely manner. You need to have an understanding of our lift station problems, our flooding zones, crumbling infrastructure — including asbestos pipes and a sinkhole that continues to fall into an abyss,” he said. “I have the knowledge, I have the background and have the experience to get us out of this and put us on the right trajectory.”
His final pitch was simple: “I want the toilets to flush, I want the water to flow, I want the lights to stay on, and I don’t want to see anybody going underwater when these storms come through.”
The Pembroke Park Town Commission is scheduled to hold its next regular commission meeting at 7 p.m. on May 14.