ORANGE CITY, Fla. — The City of Orange City council voted down a motion to terminate City Clerk Kaylee Burleson on Nov. 21 after a special meeting that drew hundreds of live viewers and sustained public comment in Burleson’s defense.

Mayor Marks called the meeting to review Burleson’s performance, saying the clerk’s email communications and other conduct had “demonstrated contempt for this government body” and suggesting the city missed opportunities — a claim at one point framed as “this may have cost the city approximately $3,000,000.” An unnamed councilmember then moved to terminate Burleson’s contract effective immediately on grounds including “lack of confidence and trust” and alleged insubordination.

Burleson told the council she had been on approved PTO and had limited access to email while accompanying her mother to surgery. “I am her caretaker,” Burleson said in a statement to the council, and she asked for proof of the messages the council cited. She also denied having access to council members’ private social media accounts and described a pattern of workplace tension she characterized as retaliatory.

Dozens of residents and former staff members spoke during the public-comment period in support of Burleson. Remarks included a read letter from Renee Deaton calling Burleson “an asset” who had “demonstrated exceptional performance and unwavering transparency,” and statements by former deputy city clerk Rebecca Balisteros and others that described long hours and institutional knowledge in the clerk’s office.

Union and safety personnel also asked the council to base any action on fair process. Meredith Ratcliffe, vice president of a local firefighters union and a lieutenant with the Orange City Fire Department, said the city should pursue “fairness, transparency, and honest evaluation of the facts and not retaliation.”

Several speakers accused the mayor of making racist or derogatory comments in private messages; those allegations were raised repeatedly by Burleson and multiple public commenters during the meeting. The transcript records assertions from speakers that messages on Facebook Messenger contained demeaning language; the mayor and supporters disputed some timing and context of the messages. The claims about private messages and alleged Sunshine Law violations were not substantiated or resolved during the meeting.

During council deliberation members reviewed email timelines and cited the City of Orange City charter in discussing removal authority. One council member noted that appointed officers may be removed “by a motion requiring four affirmative votes,” referencing charter Article 3, section 3.01 as the standard for action.

After debate and a brief recess, the council reconvened and held a roll-call vote. The motion to terminate failed, with Vice Mayor Graham, Councilmember Stafford, Councilmember Richardson, Councilmember Jarms, and Councilmember Knight voting "No" and Councilmember Tomsen and Mayor Marks voting "Yes." The chair then moved to adjourn.

The meeting produced no formal finding resolving contested factual claims raised during public comment, and speakers on both sides called for follow-up: critics of the mayor called for resignation; supporters of the mayor said the email and social-media evidence raised legitimate governance concerns. The council did not announce additional investigatory steps at the end of the session.

Votes at a glance: Motion to terminate City Clerk Kaylee Burleson — Motion failed, Yes: 2 (Councilmember Tomsen, Mayor Marks); No: 5 (Vice Mayor Graham, Councilmember Stafford, Councilmember Richardson, Councilmember Jarms, Councilmember Knight).

The council adjourned immediately after the vote.