GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gainesville firefighter’s union has voted no-confidence in Mayor Lauren Poe. The group says the city is in disarray – and that the conflict between Gainesville and the governor over vaccines is a part of it.
It says the mayor has “bred dysfunctional culture” in the city – and that it’s peaked in the last six months. It says the mayor is operating strictly on emotion.
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The group has asked Poe for his resignation.
The letter says Poe isn’t personally to blame for every problem – but accountability ultimately rests with him.
Local 2157 wants Poe to resign.
Poe, a former teacher and city commissioner, is in the next-to-last-year of his second term as mayor. He sent this a statement to News4Jax:
The union letter specifically points out the conflict between the state – and the city over vaccine mandates – and that the governor is threatening local governments with fines upwards of $100 million.
Tensions have gotten so hot in Gainesville – the city has canceled recent meetings over threats against commissioners.
News4Jax spoke with Poe after the governor announced fines for governments that require workers to get vaccinated. He said the decision is about keeping Gainesville’s 2,200 employees safe.
News4Jax reached out to the mayor’s office for his response to the call for him to resign.
Gainesville’s school superintendent is facing a similar effort from an online petition. More than 1,000 people are calling for a no-confidence vote against Superintendent Carlee Simon.