High Springs commission asks attorney to draft termination resolution and places city manager on administrative leave

The High Springs City Commission voted during public session to have the city attorney bring back a resolution to terminate City Manager Jeremy Marshall with cause at the next commission meeting and placed Marshall on administrative leave immediately with restricted access to the building, the commission recorded.

A commissioner framed the motion by citing a pattern of management and oversight failures: "I have serious concerns regarding city manager performance and his ability to fulfill the responsibilities of his office," the commissioner said when offering the motion asking the city attorney to prepare a termination resolution and to place the city manager on administrative leave without access to staff or the building.

Several commissioners asked for time to consult with the city attorney before taking irrevocable action. One commissioner said, "Before we can vote for such a drastic change, I need to have the opportunity to be able to speak to the attorneys." The city attorney summarized the investigative and HR steps the city had taken to date, explaining that complaints were examined, a predetermination hearing occurred and that the chief involved had been reinstated with final written warnings for some offenses.

Following debate the commission clarified interim coverage for city-manager duties and moved forward. The presiding officer recorded that "motion carries unanimously" after the roll-call and related interim staffing arrangements were made public.

The motion on the floor instructed the city attorney to draft formal termination paperwork for the next meeting and directed staff to implement temporary management coverage. The commission did not vote on termination itself at the meeting; the action taken was to put the city manager on administrative leave and request a resolution for the next meeting.