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DeBary Moves Hearing On Removing The Mayor To Next Month

DeBary Mayor Clint Johnson/Photo: City of DeBary
DeBary Mayor Clint Johnson/Photo: City of DeBary

DeBary’s mayor will have to wait until next month to find out whether he will be removed from office. That's when the city council voted Wednesday night to move the hearing .

The city council claims Mayor Clint Johnson violated DeBary’s charter by ordering staff around in texts, tweets and emails.

The city released new charges last Friday, and Johnson’s attorney argued that there wasn’t enough time to look them over and prepare for last night’s scheduled hearing. So the city council move it.

Johnson said he was prepared for an outcome Wednesday night, but he can wait. “I’m glad there’s a little extra time to hear everything out, Johnson said, “and sometimes cooler minds to prevail. But we’ll take it from the next meeting.”

DeBary’s attorney Drew Smith says he’s also fine with moving the hearing.

“This, I think is a unique situation just because of what’s going on,” said Smith. “But as far as local government matters go, I don’t think there’s anything out of the ordinary about how the meeting tonight went.”

Were there charter violations and do they rise to the level of ousting the mayor, those are the two main questions the DeBary City Council will answer at its July 6th meeting.

Johnson’s attorney Doug Daniels said he hasn’t had enough time to look over the new charges, and said what he has seen it appears Johnson was just doing his job.

“If you cannot criticize the government, if you cannot speak to the public and tell them what your concerns are in regard to the government,” said Daniel, “if you cannot request information from the government, then what are you?”

DeBary is suing Johnson over unfilled public records requests. Johnson insists he’s turn in everything he has.

Meanwhile the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating whether the city manager violated Sunshine Laws in emails about a controversial land deal.