Florida City Manager Termination Continues to Draw Public Discussion as Records Add Context

Nearly a month after the Florida City Commission voted to terminate City Manager Dr. James Poag, additional public records and discussion at subsequent meetings have provided more context surrounding the decision while several matters remain under review.

The Commission voted 3-2 on Sept. 8 to terminate Poag effective immediately. Mayor Charlotte Thompson, Vice Mayor Ronda Cobb and Commissioner Trina Wilborn voted in favor, while Commissioners James Gold and Richard Brown voted against the termination.

Under the Florida City Charter, the Commission has the authority to appoint and remove the city manager by majority vote. The manager serves as the City’s chief administrative and executive officer, overseeing City operations and employees, preparing the proposed annual budget and carrying out policies established by the Commission.

Much of the public discussion since Sept. 8 has therefore centered not on whether the Commission had the authority to act, but on the circumstances surrounding the decision and the concerns raised during the meeting.

The City has continued compiling records related to the Sept. 8 Commission meeting and budget hearing, including certified minutes, official audio recordings, Poag’s employment agreement and Resolution 26-68 relating to his employment.

Additional communications and records involving personnel and legal matters discussed during the meeting have also been undergoing review.

Budget concerns were among the topics raised around the time of Poag’s termination. The proposed budget being discussed Sept. 8 was not final and remained subject to additional Commission deliberation.

That distinction reflects the different responsibilities established under the City’s governmental structure: the manager prepares and recommends a budget, while the Commission determines spending priorities and adopts the final plan.

Public discussion continued during the Sept. 29 Commission meeting, when residents again raised questions about Poag’s termination and the events preceding the vote.

Some questioned whether commissioners had coordinated the decision beforehand. Those allegations were denied during the meeting, and no evidence reviewed to date has established improper coordination.

Community opinion has not been uniform. Some residents have called for additional records and further review, while others have defended the Commission’s authority and expressed support for the majority’s decision.

One issue receiving additional attention involves a financial matter concerning Avant School of Excellence and a payment intended for the City of Florida City.

Documents connected to the matter include an Aug. 14 letter from Avant School of Excellence CEO Julie Ravenell addressed to Thompson, Poag and Finance Director Chad Burkhalter.

The accompanying records show that Florida City previously made a $12,000 payment associated with a lease arrangement and that the account later reflected a $1,600 credit balance.

Avant subsequently issued a $1,600 check payable to the City of Florida City as reimbursement for the overpayment.

Ravenell wrote that the check was altered without her knowledge or authorization after it left her possession. A later image of the check appears to contain additional handwritten payee information that was not visible on the original.

Ravenell also stated that Bank of America restored the funds to Avant and that a replacement $1,600 payment was later issued directly to Florida City.

The documents show that concerns involving the check existed before Poag’s Sept. 8 termination. They do not establish who altered the check or that an elected official committed wrongdoing.

The matter was discussed again during the Sept. 29 meeting and was described as being under investigation. No finding of wrongdoing had been announced at that time.

Some residents have questioned whether Poag’s handling of the issue had any connection to his later termination. No such connection has been established.

Another subject raised during the Sept. 8 discussion involved a longtime City employee and a personnel matter.

Questions have since been raised about whether a disagreement involving compensation, benefits or another employment decision contributed to the termination. That has also not been established.

The issue has nevertheless contributed to a broader discussion about the division of responsibility under Florida City’s commission-manager system, which places day-to-day administration with the city manager while reserving policymaking authority to the elected Commission.

Possible legal action involving a City program or resident was also referenced during the Sept. 8 meeting.

The precise status of that matter remains under review, including whether the discussion concerned a filed lawsuit, threatened claim, complaint or another form of potential legal action.

Residents have also sought additional information about what the Commission considered before the termination vote, changes later made to the proposed budget and security arrangements surrounding public meetings.

Those questions remain part of the public conversation but do not, by themselves, indicate misconduct.

At this stage, the available record shows that the Commission exercised its authority through a public 3-2 vote, residents continue to seek additional information, and several issues raised around the termination remain under review.

It also shows that a separate financial matter involving an altered check is still being examined, with no finding of wrongdoing announced to date.

Florida City entered 2026 under a governmental structure that assigns policymaking authority to the elected Commission while placing daily administration with a professional city manager.

As that structure continues to develop in practice, disagreement and public scrutiny are likely to remain part of the process.

The current discussion also presents an opportunity for both residents and City officials to better define expectations surrounding communication, transparency and the respective responsibilities of elected and administrative leadership.

Moving forward, continued public participation, clear communication and attention to City services can help keep the focus on Florida City’s long-term needs while outstanding questions are addressed through the appropriate processes.