STUART, Fla. — Stuart is now on the hunt to find a new city manager after commissioners voted to fire Mike Mortell on Monday night, ending his two-decade run with the city.
The controversial decision came after a packed and emotional City Hall meeting where residents overwhelmingly urged commissioners to keep Mortell in his position.
WATCH BELOW: What's next after Stuart city manager ousted?
"Two words come to mind on our discussion tonight," said resident David Sharfy. "First one is circus. Traveling company of performers. Spectacle that entertains a mass audience."
"Many of us elected you, not expecting something like this would happen, and have lost a lot of trust in those that we will not vote for again," resident Lila Wood said.
"If you have a problem with the way he's managing the city, sit him down," another resident said.
Commissioner Sean Reed, who first called for Mortell's resignation, stood firm on his motion despite the comments from the community. Commissioners Christopher Collins and Laura Giobbi backed Reed, voting 3-2 to fire Mortell.
"I'm not willing to withdraw my motion," Reed said when asked if he would reconsider.
An interim city manager will take over immediately.
Mortell defended himself during the meeting, pushing back on allegations and thanking his supporters before leaving the room.
"I know I sound a little frustrated, and I am. But it's not because I'm going to lose my job. I accepted that two weeks ago when I found out I was losing my job," Mortell said. "It's because I knew it wasn't for cause, and I was going to stand firm on that."
Reed maintained there were complaints against the outgoing city manager, though specific details were not provided during the meeting.
"There are two stories, two things being told up here," said Reed.
While the overwhelming majority pushed commissioners to keep Mortell, some did speak in favor of firing him.
"Talk about transparency — please be transparent and tell people what you know," said resident Olga Hamilton.
Another resident warned commissioners about the impact of their decision: "You're going to affect the whole community. Black, white, whatever color."
Now, taxpayers are left wondering what comes next and who will foot the bill for Mortell's severance package and the search for a new hire.
David Sharfy wants the next city manager to have experience.
"You know what I hope they find is someone with beyond paper qualifications that someone like Mike had, preferably someone who is already a public servant in the city of Stuart," Sharfy said.
William Rudge said he is looking for change and wants to know the next manager's stance on growth management and development.
"I think a fresh attitude is a bit more important than experience," Rudge said.
Both residents acknowledge they'll be paying for the transition costs and hope the change pays off.
"I'm looking forward to the city improving itself," Rudge said.
Sharfy expressed concerns about the disruption.
"I've hired and fired and retrained, and it sucks," Sharfy said. "It holds a lot of establishments back, and I don't think a city is any exception."
City officials declined on-camera interviews, but a city spokesperson said they'll discuss the next hiring steps at a meeting scheduled for Nov. 9. Both Mortell and Reed have so far declined to answer questions on camera.
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