Public split over city manager’s future as Quincy holds hearing

Erin Hill Gadsden County News Service

Quincy residents filled the commission chambers in City Hall on May 27 for a long-anticipated public hearing that could decide the fate of City Manager Robert Nixon, who has served for months without a formal contract.

The hearing was called under Section 3.02 of the City Charter, which allows the commission to remove the city manager following proper notice and a public forum. But Monday night’s meeting revealed sharp divisions among both residents and commissioners—not just about Nixon’s job performance, but about process, politics, and the city’s direction.

Former commissioner Derrick Elias reminded the board that under the current charter, Nixon serves at the pleasure of the commission. He stressed that no reason is legally required for his dismissal.

“You do not have to offer a reason,” Elias said. “As long as it’s not discriminatory or retaliatory, you can just say you want to go in a different direction.”

But other speakers challenged the fairness of removing Nixon without cause or evaluation.

“What is the real reason for Manager Nixon’s potential dismissal?” asked resident Paula Phillips. “Is it truly about performance, or is it about politics?”

Dr. Tracey Stallworth echoed that concern, urging commissioners to follow proper procedure. “All of these are allegations right now. They haven’t been proved,” she said. “And if you do get rid of him—what is your plan?”

Commissioner Lane Stephens, who introduced the initial motion for the hearing earlier this month, defended his position as one aligned with community needs.

“I’m doing it because it’s what my constituents voted me to do,” Stephens said. “To bring change to this community, to bring economic development, to build up the community.”

Stephens moved to postpone the final vote due to the absence of Commissioner Devonta Knight, who was not physically present. That motion failed in a 2-2 split, with Stephens and Mayor Beverly Nash in favor, and Commissioners Ronte Harris and Robyn Wood opposed.

Part of the reason for the split vote was timing. If the motion to table had passed, the public hearing would have officially ended, and Harris and Wood would not have been able to weigh in during the discussion—something both commissioners made clear they wanted the opportunity to do.

Harris again raised concerns about due process, noting that the commission had previously agreed to conduct a performance evaluation before entering into a new contract with Nixon.

“We have not gone through due process,” Harris said. “That is legally binding.”

Commissioner Wood said she had previously called for an investigation into Nixon’s office and criticized the commission for halting it.

“Had you not stopped it, you would’ve been able to find out all the evidence you wanted to find out about the city manager,” Wood said. “We haven’t done one evaluation… think about if it were you.”

Public opinion remained mixed. Some, like Danelle Coley, defended Nixon’s leadership. “I have heard nothing about incompetence,” she said. Others, including resident Tammy Watson, expressed frustration with a lack of visible progress and a desire for change.

The commission is expected to vote on Nixon’s future at a subsequent meeting, though no date was set Monday. Until then, the city remains at a crossroads—caught between calls for accountability and demands for stability.

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Public split over city manager’s future as Quincy holds hearing

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Medical cannabis offers relief from multiple sclerosis symptoms

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