GROVELAND, Fla. — The city of Groveland has stripped its mayor of power and has put the city manager on leave, but the city manager said that won’t stop her from returning to work.
Channel 9 learned former city manager Gwen Walker tried to take her job back Thursday morning, and also tried to fire her replacement.
Walker was put on leave in November, accused of giving out an inappropriate loan.
Some city leaders said it shouldn’t have happened, but the drama started because both sides disagree on whether an audit was finished.
“We’ve got a city charter that’s full of holes like damn Swiss cheese,” said former Mayor George Rosario.
Things got heated when Walker walked into the lobby and returned to work Thursday, after being on paid leave since last year.
Officials said she met with the city attorney and then fired the interim city manager, Rodney Lucas.
“She really doesn’t have the right to be back in that position and back in the office,” said acting Mayor Karen McMican.
In November, some of the council was concerned about a loan that Walker gave out.
Council members took action during a meeting.
The audit was done and sent back to the city to review. McMican believes Walker should not be back in City Hall, but admits council could have made a mistake.
“It could be a glitch there because it wasn’t properly motioned,” she said.
McMican said the results of the audit still have her concerned, and she wants answers.
Investigators recommend the city make changes after finding some employees were spending more than the allowed $30 a day for meals while traveling on the city’s dime.
The audit found that many city credit-card expenses had no explanation of the business purpose for those expenses.
The city attorney sent a letter to employees Thursday saying Walker was coming back and that she had requested police be present.
Cox Media Group
