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Fruitland Park commission rejects city manager's resignation demands

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. — Fruitland Park city officials told WFTV that city commissioners refused to accept the most recent resignation demands of City Manager Ralph Bowers Thursday night.

According to officials, Bowers offered to resign immediately if he received pay for all of his unused vacation time. According to the city, that amounts to more than 260 hours.

The city said it will only let him resign with 160 hours.

Officials said that if Bowers doesn't accept their offer by 5 p.m. Friday the matter will go to a public hearing next week.

Bowers has been accused of forcing a city employee to have sex.

The woman who brought the allegations against Bowers told authorities they had an affair that went on for two years. But she said the relationship turned from consensual to forced sex when she tried to end it.

State prosecutors announced on Wednesday that Bowers would not be charged.

Bowers has been on leave since the allegations surfaced in November.

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