🌅 🏛️ Fort Pierce Names Interim Attorney

It's Wednesday! I made a full meeting breakdown video covering everything that's happened with Fort Pierce's city attorney situation from April to now. Watch it here. These are some of my favorite videos to make and I truly think this should be a series. Let me know what you think!

👁️ Caught my eye: IvoryCo is launching a Mental Wellness Bag donation drive to provide adults in the community with simple tools and activities that encourage them to pause, unplug, create and take care of their mental wellness. Contact IvoryCo to donate, sponsor a bag, or learn more at [email protected] or @ivoryco.llc on Instagram. Learn more.

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There has been a lot of confusion about what is going on with the Fort Pierce city attorney situation. Here is everything that has happened in one place. Watch the full breakdown here 🏛️.

April: Where it started: A wage garnishment involving Finance Director Johnna Morris triggered a public dispute between the city manager and city attorney. Federal law prohibits disciplining or terminating an employee over a single wage garnishment. A suspension followed by an immediate reversal led Morris to file a letter of intent to sue the city. That dispute opened up a larger conversation about the governance structure between the city attorney's office and the city manager's office.

June: The vote: The Fort Pierce City Commission voted 3 to 2 not to renew City Attorney Sara Hedges' contract. Commissioners Dzadovsky, Gaines and Johnson voted no. Commissioner Broderick and Mayor Hudson voted yes. Her last day is September 11th.

August 18th: The commission selected Dan McIntire as interim city attorney. McIntire is a former St. Lucie County attorney who has served as Fort Pierce's interim four separate times before. Days later he declined.

Why McIntire said no: HR Manager Jared Sorensen confirmed at Monday's special meeting that McIntire declined after learning that the entire legal staff and risk manager were resigning, leaving the office with only a legal assistant. "He really had some concerns about the staff not being there and only having a legal assistant in the office," Sorensen said.

Monday August 24th special meeting 📋:

Item one: Approve a $30,950 contract with S. Renée Narloch and Associates to conduct a professional search for the next permanent city attorney. Resident Kevin Keene came to public comment to push back, calling it unnecessary public spending given that timely internal action could have prevented the need. The commission voted 4 to 1 to approve it. Broderick was the only no.

Item two: Select an interim city attorney. This is where things got tense. Commissioner Broderick raised concerns about private meetings between city management and specific commissioners happening the week prior. HR Manager Sorensen presented three options: an outside firm, recruiting temporary attorneys, or naming Deputy City Manager Camille Wallace as interim. Wallace previously worked in the city attorney's office for about eight months before moving to city management.

What commissioners said 🗣️:

Mayor Hudson raised concerns about independence. "The choice of Camille Wallace, while I think I'm quite sure she's a very competent attorney, I think it gives the appearance of not independence. This commission has always wanted a very independent city attorney."

Broderick warned about what he sees as the risks of the vacancy. "The outside development community is salivating at the situation that it finds itself in with City Hall currently with no legal department, no legal representation."

Dzadovsky pushed back directly. "King's Landing killed itself. It was not funded properly. Past actions were to continue to try and resuscitate a deal that was maybe ill advised first and foremost."

City Manager Richard Chess stepped in to vouch for Wallace. "Miss Wallace is more than capable of being interim city attorney with the highest level of competence and independence."

The vote on interim 📋:

Camille Wallace will take a leave of absence from her Deputy City Manager role and begin serving as interim city attorney starting September 11th. The contract and resolution come back for formal approval at the September 8th commission meeting.

What's next: The search for a permanent city attorney begins this week 📅.

The City of Vero Beach granted Three Corners developer Clear Blue another 30-day extension to negotiate its master development agreement. This is the third extension since the deposit triggered negotiations in March. The $250 million mixed-use waterfront project includes a hotel, marina, restaurants and retail. City staff delayed the agreement's final markup until recently. City council noted negotiations could drag on like Fort Pierce's stalled King's Landing project.

👉 Read more (Vero News)

Port St. Lucie City Council approved a solid waste assessment increase of $14.83 per unit, raising the annual fee from $467.33 to $482.16, or about $1.24 monthly per residence. The hike reflects rising labor, equipment and fuel costs under the city's franchise agreement with FCC Environmental Service. The increase comes as PSL trash service remains problematic and a $24 million settlement with Waste Pro is pending.

👉 Read more (CBS12)

Stuart City Commission voted 3-1 to fire City Manager Michael Giardino and rehire former manager Michael Mortell, fired in October. Conversations about the move occurred during campaign season before last week's election. Giardino will receive roughly $75,000 severance. Community Services Director Jim Chrulski was named interim manager. Mortell, who previously served 20 years in various city roles, must still accept the offer.

👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)

Thursday, August 27

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