MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) — A tense city council meeting in Midway Tuesday night.
Council members vote to remove Councilman Samuel Stevens from office yet he remained in his chair and voted on other agenda items.
Many are asking, why?
"He doesn't need to be a board member. As a matter of fact I live in his district. And I know that he's not representing our district with honesty and transparency," said Auburn Ford.
Some Midway citizens are upset about District 4 councilman Samuel Stevens...remaining in his seat at the commission meeting Tuesday night even after the council voted to remove him.
It comes on the heels of an ethics investigation where the commission found probable cause that Stevens violated the anti-nepotism law regarding the appointment of a relative to a position within the city. Stevens settled the case.
Anthony Thomas, a Midway city attorney said "If there is some sort of ethics violation out city charter allows the city council to remove a sitting officer.
So the council held a special meeting last week agreeing to oust Stevens.
Then Tuesday night, all, except Stevens, voted to remove him from office, but it wasn't a done deal.
That's because Councilman Stevens filed a lawsuit, ahead of Tuesday night's vote.
Circuit judge told us that we will have to have a court hearing so that he can make a decision as to whether we acted properly or not," said Mayor Ronald Colston, City of Midway
So for now, Councilman Stevens will continue his role while this issue plays out in court.
When WTXL reached out to Stevens, he told us to talk to his attorney.
We did, but have yet to hear back from him.
