Vice Mayor Keith London has wanted to fire the city attorney for months.
He got his wish Tuesday night in a special meeting, just three weeks after a mud-slinging election that shifted the balance of power at City Hall.
City Attorney Lynn Whitfield knew it was coming. She read a tearful farewell speech, thanking Mayor Joy Cooper and Commissioner Anthony Sanders for their support and encouraging her staff to go on without her.
London also made a case for terminating City Manager Daniel Rosemond, who was not at the meeting but sent his personal attorney, who watched from the audience and later told the commission Rosemond was not willing to resign.
Commissioners agreed to have a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday to suspend Rosemond, a move required by the city charter before he can be fired.
London accused Whitfield of violating city policy by giving ex-Commissioner Bill Julian campaign advice — a conversation caught on a robocall recording earlier this year. London accused Rosemond of using a city credit card to buy airline tickets for his daughter and entering into a contract that exceeded his $25,000 spending limit.
Cooper argued against terminating anyone.
“I would caution this commission that if we move forward, this action could be extremely costly to the residents,” she said. “We are not here for personality politics.”
But in the end, commissioners voted 3-1 to fire the city attorney, with Cooper casting the lone no vote.
London voted yes along with political ally Michele Lazarow, who easily won re-election Nov. 8, and real estate broker Anabelle Taub, who trounced Julian in one of Broward County‘s nastiest elections.
After Whitfield’s firing, the mayor insisted the commission adjourn the meeting because there was no attorney present to provide legal advice. London argued that an assistant city attorney could take over along with the attorney who represents the city’s redevelopment agency.
Cooper walked out and the meeting went on without her.
In February 2015, London made a move to fire Whitfield, saying he had lost confidence in her ability to give impartial advice to her commission bosses.
Whitfield, who is black, accused London of racial and gender bias.
Hallandale Beach hired an outside law firm to investigate her claims. London was cleared, but the investigation lasted a year and cost taxpayers more than $100,000.
Whitfield, who has been the city attorney since December 2011, earned $203,548 a year.
Rosemond was hired in February 2013 as an assistant city manager and executive director of Hallandale’s redevelopment agency. He took over as city manager in January, earning $180,400 a year.
The vote to hire Rosemond was not unanimous. London and Lazarow voted against hiring him, saying they wanted to do a national search.
sbryan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4554
