CRA Director Offered Short Contract

The employment contract of Community Redevelopment Director Jackie Gorman was the last and most explosive issue on the August 5 CRA meeting agenda. Ninety minutes of accusations, denials and rehash culminated in a split vote to offer Ms. Gorman a one year contract with a six month probationary period.

The City Commissioners discussed Ms. Gorman's multiple letters of resignation written in May and July. Accusations of various Commissioners' violation of the Florida Sunshine Law in a letter to City Attorney David Coffey caused much of the evening's acrimony. Ms. Gorman said she feared retribution from Mayor/Commissioner Heath Davis. She specifically mentioned Davis and Commissioner Scott Dennison, and added less specific charges against other unnamed Commissioners regarding unlawful communication with "Board members outside of a public meeting."

Those accusations, coupled with a similar accusation by Ms. Gorman against two other Commissioners prior to the May 2008 election, brought withering responses from Commissioners Davis and Sue Colson. Ms. Gorman denied making any earlier accusation. The initial battle followed a motion by Commissioner Gene Hodges' to extend Ms. Gorman's contract for two years. Commissioner Pat O'Neal seconded the motion. After a bitter discussion, the motion failed, having only votes from the makers. Commissioner Hodges said that Mayor Davis had overstepped his authority in his discussions with Gorman. Gorman's hiring of two City employees while having authority only in CRA business, and her lack of attention to CRA project details were two of the complaints against her. Commissioner O'Neal said that everyone was misinformed as he complained of micromanagement and changing goals of CRA projects.

After the defeat of the Hodge motion, Commissioner Scott Dennison, who had presented an itemized list of criticism of Ms. Gorman, moved to offer Ms. Gorman a one year contract with a six month probationary period. He recommended project management with monthly progress reports. Commissioner Hodges seconded the motion. Commissioner Colson objected, saying," After tonight I can't see how we can have a CRA Director with all this negative stuff." The motion passed. Director Gorman has had serious differences with Commissioner Dennison dating back before his election to the Commission in May 2008. After the meeting adjourned Ms. Gorman told Cedar Key News that she had been unfairly convicted and would discuss matters with City Attorney Coffey. Mayor Davis said Ms. Gorman could sign or not sign a contract (for the terms of the motion.)