DeBary city leaders have voted to move forward with a lawsuit against the city's mayor over dozens of failed attempts to get public records from him.
Mayor Clint Johnson wants to sail a homemade raft from Cuba to Florida.
The mayor has been criticized for his outspoken behavior, but one of his council members told Channel 9 they're not out to get him.
Johnson expressed dissatisfaction with the council members' vote to sue him and to file an ethics complaint.
Councilman Rick Dwyer told Channel 9 it was the city's last resort to force the mayor to turn over public records.
"Is this just about public records or is the city trying to get something from the mayor he might be hiding?" asked Channel 9’s Blaine Tolison.
"For me, it's public records," said Dwyer.
The city has already spent several thousands of dollars in legal fees, requesting records from Johnson.
The records pertain to money Johnson received for a charity, money he spent on fliers, his social media activity and feedback he received from citizens in his mayor's mailbox.
"Let's go through. If you guys aren't going to sue me. I mean, I'm ready to cooperate, but if you're going to hold this over my head like extortion style. I'm getting a little nervous about, it feels terroristic to me," said Johnson.
The city has received 21 requests for the mayor's records. Dwyer said he's concerned the city could get sued for not providing them.
"Is a lawsuit in the best interest of the taxpayers, the residents here in DeBary?" Tolison asked.
"I don't really necessarily think it's the best interest. I think it's the only avenue available at this time to compel him to produce the records," said Dwyer.
Cox Media Group
