From Palatka Daily News:
Law firm issues warning about treatment of city attorney
Interim City Manager Cynthia Curry, center, speaks last month during a Palatka City Commission meeting while Commissioner Annie Davis, background, and City Attorney Jane West listens. (File photo)
A firm representing Palatka’s embattled legal chief is contradicting the city’s claim that the attorney and the city are parting ways on mutual terms.
Wenzel Fenton Cabassa, an employee rights law firm from Tampa representing City Attorney Jane West, sent the Palatka City Commission interim City Manager Cynthia Curry an email Tuesday requesting the city take no further illegal action against West.
“There was an agreement to explore separation on mutually agreeable terms,” attorney Steven G. Wenzel wrote. “Rather than explore the separation, the city has elected to discharge her by dictating terms for separation and by locking her out of city systems, which prevents her from responding to what may be critical deadlines in litigation matters of which she remains the city’s counsel of record.”
On Monday, Curry said West’s departure from the city was mutual, noting West raised the idea of leaving her job after a meeting Friday involving Curry, West and Human Resources Director Jason White.
Commissioners plan to discuss West’s departure during a special called commission meeting at 5 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 201 N. Second St.
The meeting was originally called so commissioners could vote whether to approve the termination of Finance Director Chantel Pierre. Curry suggested Chantel’s firing last week, but the city’s code of ordinances requires a majority vote from commissioners to fire the police chief, fire chief, finance director, city clerk or city attorney.
While Curry confirmed recommending Pierre be fired, she claims West suggested leaving the city. West said now would be good to leave because city staff is working on the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget, according to Curry.
“She was not fired last week,” Curry said Monday. “I want to make sure that that is a statement. It was a mutual agreement, a mutual agreement of her leaving.”
A separation-of-employment letter Curry gave West on Monday said West’s last day working in person at City Hall was Friday and her final day working for the city would be Aug. 21.
West had already been scheduled for vacation this week but will work remotely Aug. 10-21, according to the letter. Despite still being an employee, West’s access to her city email account has been limited to read-only, which allows her to see the messages that have already been sent and received but prohibits her from sending new messages.
“Please do not respond to City Hall or any other non-public city facility unless the interim city manager or human resources asks you to and authorizes it,” the letter states.
When West suggested parting ways with the city, she wanted to talk about a severance package, but the city will not be offering her that, Curry said.
“There is no contract that requires a severance package,” Curry said Monday.
Wenzel argues the city’s dismissal of West was unlawful and violates her right to due process.
He said the law firm and West won’t accept any one-sided action from the city.
“We would suggest that there is no need for the city to incur that liability nor for you to risk exposure to liability personally,” Wenzel wrote. “I am confident that we could develop terms for a mutually agreeable separation.”
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