High Springs city manager placed on leave amid calls for termination

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. (WCJB) - High Springs commissioners voted to place City Manager Jeremy Marshall on administrative leave and said they will discuss his potential termination with city attorneys at the next meeting.

The decision came after dozens of public comments at a commission meeting which had been postponed two weeks earlier due to a broken elevator that raised ADA concerns.

Commissioners said the city’s finances were in poor condition when Marshall took the position and have continued to decline. Marshall could be fired at the next scheduled commission meeting.

Many residents who addressed the commission also spoke about Police Chief Antoine Sheppard. Sheppard was present at the meeting as residents offered both support and criticism of his leadership.

In late June, Sheppard was placed on paid administrative leave after Marshall informed him the city was investigating complaints filed against him. The investigation found Sheppard improperly assigned extra work details and overpaid for them. Sheppard was issued a warning and will be required to repay the city. An audit will determine the amount owed.

The city attorney confirmed attorney Bobi Frank filed the complaints against Sheppard. Frank previously represented Kevin Davis in a discrimination trial against former Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson.

Sheppard said he stands by his position that the allegations are false.

Resident Decarlos Sheppard spoke in support of the chief.

“We believe in doing the right things, and not just trashing or blemishing someone’s reputation that’s worked their entire life to do the right thing,” he said. “We need more good citizens, and we don’t need to tear people down. Sure people make mistakes, but we don’t need to tear people down, we need to build them up. That’s how we were raised, that’s how I was raised, and that’s what we stand for.”

Resident Joshua Benefield said he does not support Sheppard’s leadership.

“They’ve destroyed my reputation, my livelihood, they placated me, they falsely arrested me like I said, twice,” Benefield said. “This last time, they charged me with battery when I was the one that got beat up on my property by my next-door neighbors, but because the next-door neighbor is an ex-cop, cops get special treatment.”

Commissioners voted 3-2 to approve a tentative maximum property tax rate of 7.24 mills. The current rate is 6.99 mills. The rolled-back rate — the rate at which the city would collect roughly the same revenue as the prior year — is approximately 6.65 mills. Public hearings are required before a final vote is taken.

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