STUART, Fla. — Members of the Stuart city commission are considering firing City Manager Michael Mortell, yet are refusing to give a reason why.
In a commission meeting on Monday, Commissioner Sean Reed called for Mortell’s resignation, and then made a motion to remove him from office and appoint someone else in the interim. Reed offered no explanation why, except to say he wanted to help pick the next city manager.
Mortell has been the city manager of Stuart for two years. Mortell said he was expecting a conversation about his contract and seemed caught off guard by the calls to resign.
The mayor and commissioners spoke up both in favor of firing Mortell and defending his position, with several residents concerned about the lack of cause for his firing.
In response, Commissioner Chris Collins said “out of respect for Mike” he would “rather not open up everything and try to litigate his faults,” but is backing Reed’s efforts to oust him.
Commissioner Laura Giobbi also argued that the details of the city manager’s performance should be kept private. From her first day as a commissioner in 2024, she said, there have been issues with Mortell of misrepresentation and trust. She declined to elaborate during the meeting.
The commission is expected to vote on Mortell’s future at a meeting on Oct. 27.