Gainesville Director of Equity and Inclusion resigns

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Just 3 days after receiving a $56,500 raise and 2 days after sending an email to city commissioners and other charter officers complaining that an elected official called her “’angry’… a hurtful stereotype that is depicted upon Black women and has a history that spans back decades,” Teneeshia Marshall, the City of Gainesville’s Director of Equity and Inclusion, notified the City that she will be resigning from her position. Marshall is one of the six Charter Officers for the City of Gainesville.

The resignation memorandum did not indicate Marshall’s reasons for resigning, but she wrote that her last day of employment will be May 28, 2021, and that she would make herself available during the month of June “to fulfill the obligatory timeframe per my contract and help bring an interim director up to speed.”

The memorandum also requested a payout of retirement, payout of all accrued paid time off, and 20 weeks of severance pay, some of which would require an amendment to her contract.

Marshall appeared during the May 6 Gainesville City Commission meeting to introduce one of the agenda items, and there was no discussion of the pending resignation until commission comment at the end of the meeting. Commissioner David Arreola asked every charter officer and commissioner to “show support for Teneeshia Marshall, I want her to stay.” Newly-sworn-in Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker added, “We can salvage this, but it will take some work.”

City Manager Lee Feldman issued a prepared statement: “We believe in a work environment where all of our community builders and neighbors, alike, are treated with courtesy, fairness and respect. Ms. Marshall’s work to help us build a more equitable community is highly valued and will continue. We continue to have important conversations with all of our community builders and remain committed to continual organizational improvement. We wish her well in her future endeavors.”