Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Citizens deliver 1,000-signature petition; commission debate over city manager ends in 2-2 tie
Summary
Residents and business owners pressed the Sanford City Commission to remove City Manager Norton Bonaparte over leadership and permitting complaints. Commissioner Britton moved to terminate Bonaparte without cause; the motion failed on a 2-2 tie after hours of public comment and debate.
After more than an hour of public comment from business owners, longtime residents and neighborhood leaders, the Sanford City Commission on April 14 heard a petition the city clerk said contains more than 1,000 signatures asking for a change in city leadership.
Petition organizer Christina Hollerbach told commissioners the signers include current Sanford residents (52 percent), other Seminole County residents (8 percent) and former or regional supporters (40 percent) who cited permitting delays, public-works failures and a string of high-profile incidents that they said show poor leadership at City Hall.
The petition and broad public criticism set the stage for a heated commission debate. Commissioner Britton moved to terminate City Manager Norton Bonaparte without cause. The motion was seconded; after discussion that included legal staff reading the manager’s contract and describing suspension and removal procedures, the commission voted. The motion failed on a tie vote, 2–2, leaving Bonaparte in his post.
Why i…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
