Heated Riviera Beach meeting sees public uproar over water, investigations and personnel; council pauses planned action on city manager

A lengthy public-comment period and later exchanges among council members on March 18 focused on long-running controversies in Riviera Beach, including questions about the city’s water system, subpoenas reported in local media, personnel discipline, and the city manager’s stewardship.

Multiple residents used the public-comment period to accuse the city of mismanagement or to defend city staff. Speakers raised concerns about localized flooding after intense rain, the water plant project and high utility bills, federal subpoenas and reports of ethics complaints, and alleged irregularities tied to park and CRA projects. At least one commenter who identified herself as running for Congress addressed the council during public comment.

Toward the late evening the meeting grew more confrontational. Councilmember Bruce Gayton publicly announced he planned to move a motion to terminate City Manager Jonathan Evans’s contract “without cause.” Chair Charlene Laneir responded by noting the agenda item on the manager’s contract had been removed from the posted agenda earlier in the day because a councilmember would be absent; she emphasized that such a major personnel decision should be noticed and handled with a transition/severance plan and legal review. The chair and several councilmembers agreed to schedule a fully noticed discussion of the manager’s contract at a future meeting rather than decide the matter that night.

What the council said and did: Council members at the meeting repeatedly voiced divergent views. Supporters of Evans argued terminating the manager mid-stream would imperil major capital projects and risk chaos, while critics cited internal personnel complaints, independent investigations, and alleged leaks as reasons to consider removal. The city attorney advised that because no formal litigation had begun related to the item, any discussion and decision needed to occur in public (not closed session). The chair directed staff and the city attorney to prepare the contract materials, transition options and legal input for a properly noticed council meeting so the full board can consider the matter.

Why it matters: the city manager runs day-to-day city operations and oversees major capital programs — including the water-treatment project, bond-funded work and CRA initiatives — and any change would have budgetary, operational and political consequences. Several residents urged transparency about federal and state inquiries and asked the council to communicate more details to the public; others warned that abrupt leadership changes would harm ongoing projects.

Next steps: the chair and multiple councilmembers said the manager’s contract will be placed on a future agenda with full notice, contract review materials and a plan for orderly transition if council resolves to terminate the contract. Staff also committed to continue the scheduled workshops on impact fees and property-tax reform and to pursue community meetings on Ocean Park concepts.