Three Key West city council members who are retiring within the next few months appear to want to fire the mayor when they leave office. Al Childress, who takes office in April 2023 on a four-year contract, received a call from City Attorney Ron Ramsingh on Friday evening.
“He told me that four of the commissioners are in favor of firing me. They’re going to call a special meeting, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, July 3,” Childress told Keys Weekly on Friday night, saying he’s still reeling from the news.
According to Childress, the four commissioners who voted in favor of removing him from office were Commissioner Jimmy Weekly, Commissioner Clayton Lopez, Commissioner Billy Wardlow and Commissioner Lysette Carey, with Carey being the only one still in office.
Weekley, Lopez and Wardlaw are all due to expire in the next election, and Mayor Terry Johnston has opted not to run for re-election, meaning four of the seven city council members are newcomers and a new mayor may be needed.
Commissioners Carey, Sam Kaufman and Mary Lou Hoover will remain at the dais and will be joined after the election by newly appointed Mayor DeeDee Henriquez and new Commissioner Donnie Lee, who will replace Commissioner Billy Wardlaw.
Enriquez and Lee were unopposed and will win the primary election on August 20th.
Weakley and Lopez’s commission seats are in hotly contested districts: Monica Haskell and Ben Hennington are vying for Weakley’s District 1 seat, while Aaron Castillo, Thaddeus Cohen and Marcy Rose are vying for Lopez’s District 6 seat.
Mayor Childress’ opposition was reported Friday night, two days after Vice Mayor Todd Stoughton tendered his resignation. Stoughton said he wanted to spend more time with his family and would like his final term to be “indefinite to allow sufficient time for a successor to be named by the end of the fiscal year (October 1) and for a smooth transition,” he wrote in a letter to Mayor Childress on Wednesday, June 13.
“I’m hopeful that Todd taking over as interim mayor will bring stability, especially with a new mayor and three new commissioners in place,” Commissioner Carey told Keys Weekly on Friday night, acknowledging his support for Childress’ replacement.
Carey criticized Mayor at commission meetings and in his April evaluation of the mayor, writing, “The Mayor must work to better understand the needs and wishes of the Keys residents. Although Mayor has experience in Miami and has extensive city government experience, the approach he is trying to replicate in Key West is far removed from what the residents want.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Johnston wrote about Childress in April, “I have worked with six mayors and Al Childress is the most qualified, transparent, fair, efficient and principled mayor I have worked with.”
Johnston again offered strong praise for Childress in an interview with Keys Weekly on Friday, praising his communication skills, professionalism and working relationship with most city departments.
Commissioner Hoover lamented Stoughton’s resignation, praised his work and reiterated the mayor’s support for Childress.
Stoughton declined to comment on the ongoing intrigue at City Hall.
As of 10 p.m. Friday, no special meeting had been scheduled to discuss Childress’ possible firing, which would likely cost the city about $100,000 if it goes ahead. Childress’ contract provides for 20 weeks of pay if commissioners terminate his contract early. On an annual salary of $225,000, five months’ pay equals about $93,000.
