North Port city manager’s resignation accepted in 4-1 vote

NORTH PORT , Fla. (WWSB) - The North Port City Commission voted 4-1 Friday to accept the resignation of City Manager Jerome Fletcher after months of tension between Fletcher and members of the commission.The vote came during a commission meeting that turned heated, with residents voicing frustration over Fletcher’s departure.The tension had been building for months. It came to a head when a commissioner accused Fletcher of election interference.Fletcher spoke about his departure and his time with the board.“I will tell you there are a lot of people who say they wish I wasn’t going, but there’s not anyone that’s saying, ‘I can’t believe you’re leaving so soon,’” Fletcher said. “The time that I spent here has been interesting from the dynamic of the board.”Some people at the meeting said it was time for new leadership. They argued that Fletcher’s relationship with the commission had become problematic.“You have a city employee asking to resign. Okay, resign,” one person said at the meeti