MARCO ISLAND, Fla. — Marco Island City Manager Michael McNees attempted to resign from his role Monday just moments before a scheduled vote to terminate his contract — but in a surprise turn, city council members voted to reject his resignation, allowing him to remain in the role.
The decision came after a tense four-and-a-half-hour meeting triggered by a newly released audit that revealed major flaws in how the city tracked certain state and federal grants.
HEAR WHAT THE AUDITOR HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE CITY’S FINANCIAL FLAWS:
According to an independent auditor, the city’s financial statements contained “material weaknesses,” including grant money being recorded in the wrong fiscal year and key information missing or misclassified in official reports.
“Things were recorded in the wrong year, things not recorded in the right accounts — things in your financial statements that were not presented correctly and needed to be corrected,” the auditor told council members.
The controversy surrounding McNees’ leadership began last week, when Council Chair Erik Brechnitz led a failed attempt to fire him over the audit findings. Ahead of Monday’s meeting, Brechnitz presented McNees with a resignation agreement during a private conversation.
“I have lost confidence in Mr. McNees’ ability to lead,” Brechnitz said during the meeting.
But several council members criticized the process, accusing Brechnitz of trying to force McNees out unfairly.
“How can you angrily criticize city employees’ performances when yours as the chair has been embarrassing and abysmal?” councilwoman Deb Henry said in a pre-written letter during the meeting. "Eric's actions at our previous meeting are deeply troubling," she added.
Monday’s meeting drew a packed room of residents — some of whom called for McNees to step down.
“It’s not about whether you like him or not,” one resident said. “It’s about the city’s performance. I’m looking at things like grants, I’m looking at fines," she added.
In a final push, Brechnitz urged the council to accept McNees’ resignation instead of firing him. But in a 4-3 vote, the council ultimately rejected the resignation and agreed to keep him in place.
McNees addressed the public shortly after.
“If 30 days from now we can’t find a way to move forward [with] collegiality,” McNees said, “I promise you on my honor I’ll put this agreement back on the table and beg you to approve it," he added.
Despite the audit’s findings, the city’s financial position remains stable. The auditor confirmed there was no evidence of missing money or fraud, but recommended the city improve its internal controls and communication around how public funds are handled.
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