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City manager says he lost confidence in fire chief; chief defends record and offers resignation
Summary
City manager Derek Martin told commissioners he had "lost trust and confidence" in the fire chief over apparent discrepancies between the chief's emails and dispatch records; the chief denied wrongdoing, offered documentation, and ultimately offered his resignation, which the commission accepted by roll call.
City Manager Derek Martin recommended that the commission remove the fire chief, telling the panel he had "lost trust and confidence in my fire chief" after concluding that statements in the chief's emails did not match verified dispatch records and operational logs. Martin said he placed the chief on administrative leave July 17 while staff gathered documentation and that the differences amounted to "deliberate misrepresentation of emergency response information." He cited City Charter section 3.06 in asking the commission to accept the chief's removal.
Chief Razor answered at the dais, saying he had recordings, emails and VIN/manufacturer information that showed his unit responded to the calls in question and that he had removed a vessel from service because it lacked proper towing equipment. "I didn't break any laws," the chief said, and he offered witnesses and documents he said would support his account. The chief also told the commission he would resign "unless the commission sees fit to reinstate me." Several volunteers and station personnel later spoke in the chief's support.
City Attorney Donald Holmes told the commission that Florida municipal employees are generally "at-will" and that a department head can be removed for a loss of confidence by a supervisor, but he cautioned that decisions should not be founded on inaccurate information. After discussion, a motion to accept the chief's letter of resignation was made and seconded; the commission recorded a roll-call vote with the following recorded as voting "Aye": Commissioner Cynthia Burton; Commissioner Linda Moore; Commissioner Lisa Kane DeVille (recorded as DeBeal in roll call); Vice Mayor William B.J. Lohrey; and Mayor Michelle Myers. The motion carried and the resignation was accepted.
Why it matters: the commission's decision changes leadership for the city's fire department and prompts questions about equipment, record keeping and how the city documents and communicates emergency operations. Commissioners asked staff to review equipment readiness and consider the department's capital needs as part of upcoming budget discussions.
Next steps: the commission accepted the resignation without a formal finding of fault and directed staff to handle personnel steps and equipment follow-up; the city attorney noted that a forced-resignation claim could be raised later but said the commission could accept a resignation now while preserving legal options.
