Florida Ethics Commission dismisses complaint against North Port city manager Fletcher

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read

NORTH PORT – The Florida Ethics Commission ruled in favor of North Port City Manager Jerome Fletcher regarding a complaint filed by city resident Stephanie Gibson.

The Ethics Commission dismissed Gibson’s complaint on June 7, after a meeting in executive session, citing a lack of legal sufficiency. The six-page ruling was issued without a factual investigation but also noted that Gibson's complaint acknowledged several of his actions were tacitly approved after the fact.

Gibson’s complaint was based in part on Fletcher’s asking members of the area's state lawmakers last year to withdraw the city’s application for Warm Mineral Springs and Little Salt Springs to receive the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Outstanding Florida Springs designation.

She also complained that Fletcher submitted an application for federal funding prior to receiving board approval, mirroring issues brought up by City Commissioner Debbie McDowell when she accused him of exceeding his authority as city manager and hoped the other four board members would share her concern. They didn’t.

Gibson also took issue with a variety of roles pursued by Fletcher, including working with some nonprofits and not others.

The order by Ethics Commission Chairman Ashley Lukis noted Gibson’s complaint “contains several narratively unrelated allegations.”

Later, Lukis wrote, “As noted for each allegation discussed above, the complaint does not indicate that Respondent used or abused his office to achieve a benefit for himself or certain others.”

The Florida Commission on Ethics recently dismissed ethics charges brought against City Manager Jerome Fletcher by city resident Stephanie Gibson.
The Florida Commission on Ethics recently dismissed ethics charges brought against City Manager Jerome Fletcher by city resident Stephanie Gibson.

Gibson noted via text that she did not use a lawyer to prepare her complaint.

She has previously filed two unfounded complaints against Fletcher with the International City Manager’s Association.

In a prepared statement, Fletcher said he was relieved but not surprised that Gibson’s ethics complaints were dismissed.

“This is the third time these same false allegations have been made,” Fletcher wrote. “The first two times, the International City/County Management Association’s Committee on Professional Conduct concluded there was insufficient evidence of any ethics violations.

North Port City Manager Jerome Fletcher talks about the impact of Hurricane Ian on the city of North Port, as well as lessons learned, during a Sept. 15, 2023 press conference at North Port City Hall.
North Port City Manager Jerome Fletcher talks about the impact of Hurricane Ian on the city of North Port, as well as lessons learned, during a Sept. 15, 2023 press conference at North Port City Hall.

“Now the Florida Commission on Ethics has also found a lack of legal sufficiency and declined to investigate further.

“Each time, the City has had to waste taxpayer dollars defending itself,” he added. “This kind of behavior must stop.

“Just because we have a difference of opinion doesn’t mean an ethics violation has occurred.”

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ethics complaint against North Port city manager found insufficient