Alachua City Manager resigns
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
ALACHUA, Fla. – Alachua City Manager Mike DaRoza resigned on Monday and gave two weeks’ notice; his last day is Sunday, June 8.
His resignation letter expressed his gratitude for his eight years of employment with the City (he became City Manager in 2021) and said it was a “difficult decision to leave”; he added that he is “confident that the City of Alachua is in good hands because of the outstanding staff we have accumulated,” and he committed to ensuring a smooth transition.
Public Information Officer Brent Lanier wrote, “Details regarding the transition process for, and announcement of, interim City Manager are forthcoming.”
DaRoza’s departure follows the recent resignation of three Planners at the City; one of them wrote in an open letter, “In my opinion, it appears that former City Manager Adam Boukari never relinquished control of the City Manager’s position and has been essentially co-managing the City with Mr. DaRoza, while representing developers’ interests in a private capacity.” The Alachua City Commission recently voted to investigate the events that led to the Planners’ resignations.
This paints a clearer picture than wcjb posted. Grab your popcorn. It’s about to get real.
Are they still going to build that Wal-Mart near I75?
No. Walmart cancelled that plan years ago. The land has a for sale sign on it.
No. Worse. They are trying to get approved to build 523 homes on top of one of our most needed and beautiful natural resources, potentially putting at risk the families who would buy the homes and, second, potentially contaminating the waters of the creek, which is one of the main sources of water in our region. All of this, under the former city manager who uses DaRoza as a puppet. Things will improve because new people are coming who genuinely care about the city and its resources.
Or the story could be edited to read: “DaRoza’s departure follows . . .the Alachua City Commission’s recent vote to investigate the events that led to the planners’ resignations.”
Just sayin’.
Boukari…I assume this is the same family accused of hosting underaged sex parties in High Springs?
Quits effective June 8. Does not have the spine to attend the next commission meeting on June 9. What a little “word I cannot print here.” Proof of how unqualified he always was. His background? Sports writer and cabinetmaker. Not qualifications to run a government. But overpay him and buy extreme loyalty to Boukari, according to the Tabor letter. Disgusting little puppy dog. In the last eight years the city has paid him one million dollars salary.
DID YOU TAXPAYERS GET YOUR MONEY’S WORTH?
Wonder where they found his DNA?
👀
Hm . . .
Joe: I have no inside info, just thoughts. And some facts.
The FDLE IG letter said they are investigating “events” which may have occured between 2006 and 2021.
During that time frame one brother, an Alachua City Commissioner, spent a decade as an assistant boys basketball coach at Santa Fe High High School.
During that time frame another brother, an employee of the City of Alachua, received a special award for the hours he spent “mentoring” Santa Fe High students, including basketball players. Late we find he is the subject of an FDLE investigation for alleged inappropriate behavior with underage basketball players.
During that time, the current city manager was a sports writer for local papers.
So we have to ask: during that time fame, of all the citizens of Alachua, which three adults would be likely to be found in the boys basketball locker room among a sea of tall naked juveniles?
Just asking. I cannot wait till the FDLE investigation report is made public.
What’s this family’s problem?…
Homo-Pedo or Kompromat?
Or all of the above?
So will the City of Alachua finally do an outside search for a qualified City Manager? What will the search committee look like?
Y’all want Cynthia Curry? She’s Safe and Effective.
… And is an expert on zero based budgeting.
She’s so dumb you don’t even have to compromise her or pay her off to do the wrong thing.
I couldn’t tell if this a joke or not lmao
Gosh I hope so. We should all show up to say so whenever they discuss this.
The assistant city manager is totally qualified to take the helm. He previously.turned down the position because he had small children and wanted to spend more time with them. I am hoping he will accept the position this time. He’s a great guy and a family man with a strong marriage.
Lady – Even if Rudolfo is qualified it doesn’t make him the best fit for our City. There should be a nationwide search so we can find the best of the best. And considering there’s allegations that Deroza AND Rodolfo was influenced by Adam Boukari as City Manager before him – we can really use a RESET. Start fresh! Rudolfo can stay Assistant. That’s nice he has a family and good marriage but that has nothing to do with leading a city with A LOT of concerns.
For the city to elevate a city hall insider would show that the employees still tell the commission what to do. Elevating an insider who is part of the real estate cartel actors will change NOTHING in city hall. It will remain as corrupt as ever. Just say NO to Rudolfo. Past time for a change.
Dear Lady who said “he is a family man with a strong marriage.”
Great. I commend the man for not beating his wife and kids. But. . .
This is totally irrelevant to the question “is he qualified AND the best candidate for the job?” No employer can legally ask that question in a job interview. The job description cannot say “candidate must be a family man with a strong marriage, no blacks, gays, Catholics, Jews, or singles allowed to apply.” We are staffing a government management position, not looking for the leader of a cult. I do not ask or consider if he is sleeping with a woman, or a man, goat, horse, cat, or goldfish. I do not care if his wife dresses him in lavender suits. Got it?
If past events repeat, the insider cartel will flood the commission meeting on June 9 and perpetuate a Love Fest for Rudolfo. City employes will improperly lobby for him, past commissioners will speak, maybe even some former state legislators will show up with emotion tear jerking appeals of “you got to hire him cuz he’s such a GOOD GUY.” It is their SOP and all they know how to do.
The commissioners MUST ignore the emotional cries and consider clearly the best interests of ALL the city in their decision. Anything else dooms the city and gives total power to the developer cartel.
Now he has more time to hang out with the Boukari brothas on The Love Boat.
Stylin – tell us more about “The Love Boat”
You know “The Love Boat” Cum aboard we’ve been suspecting you.
Yep everyone knows Adam has not moved on.
Daroza’s quitting letter: “I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition.”
What a total lie from a spineless wonder.
If he was committed to a smooth transition, one month ago he would have informed the commission that he was not going to ask for a contract extension, but let it expire on July 25. The commission would have plenty of time to select a Interim City Manager (ICM), who would then have weeks to work alongside Daroza and be trained how to be the ICM, thus being ready for the job on his Day 1.
With three months notice, the commission would have time to hire a search firm, do a national search, and perhaps even hire a new permanent city manager who might even have two weeks to work alongside Daroza and be trained before he took over.
Handing in a “I quit” letter on Monday, and not even planning to attend and show your face at the next city commission meeting on June 9, is not “ensuring a smooth transition.” It is a gutless spineless childish act by a little spineless man. The citizens of Alachua will not miss him.
Someone call Jean Calderwood and beg her to come back to the City and settle it all down.
Would Jean Calderwood even consider coming back on a temporary basis? Does she still feel strongly about City Hall being open 5 days a week? Would she recommend a Moratorium on development? Employees like their 3-day weekend but isn’t City Hall about serving the citizens?
Darkness will be forced into the light. The damage and destruction cannot be undone, but can be stopped and hopefully brought to some sort of justice! I hope the consequences are brutal.
He got a consultanting gig 😂
Bring in the forensic accountants!
Which brings up the related question of “does DaRoza still have his authority to access the city’s safe deposit box at the local bank?”
Now I know what you are saying, “the city has a huge expensive fire proof vault in city hall to store important stuff and records. Why would they have a safe deposit box?” Good question, but they have for decades. What is in the box? Old rumors range from stacks of cash to bearer bonds, but who knows? It is “secret” doncha know.
Will DaRoza clean out the box on his way out of town? I don’t know, but he could. If he was not 100% honest and ethical. It’s Alachua city hall business as usual doncha know. Slimier than a jellyfish that washed up a week ago at a Suwanee fish camp.
It’s been reported that DuhRoza dropped off his letter on Monday, left and hasn’t been seen again at City Hall. If he’s not in the office for that two week resignation period (which is actually 1 week, 6.5 days but we will save that conversation for later…) he should not be entitled to the City payout of up 200 hours of unused annual leave and 80 hours of unused sick leave.
That aside, it’s difficult to “ensure a smooth transition” when you’re MIA…
As you note, 1 week 6.5 days is not 14 days. But cut him some slack. This is Alachua. For $150,000 a year you want a city manager who can COUNT? My gosh you have high expectations for your public officials. Next you’re going ask them to be honest and not pawns of developers. Where will your high standards end?
A Commissioner or two will most certainly push for Rodolfo Valladares to be appointed Interim City Manager at their next meeting on June 9.
Aside from his involvement with bungled projects being pushed through, such as the privately funded solar farm at the city’s wastewater treatment plant, and his coziness with certain developers, one must pause to ask – who hired Valladares? Well, the answer to the question is none other than Adam Boukari. Boukari’s influence over the outgoing manager has been called into question. What makes anyone think it will be different with another Boukari hire who has benefited from Boukari’s “management” of the city?