Last week, the City of Pensacola announced that Assistant City Attorney Heather Lindsay had submitted her resignation. Lindsay is also Milton’s mayor and was censured by her city council in April.
Earlier this month, the council voted 6-2 to file a civil lawsuit against Lindsay, seeking her compliance with Florida’s Public Records Act after she refused to comply with record requests from City Attorney Alex Andrade.
Inweekly obtained her resignation letter, dated Monday, May 27.
Dear Mayor Reeves:
It is with sadness that I tender my resignation to the City of Pensacola, a place I called home when my parents divorced and my mother moved my brothers and me to a cedar, A-frame house in a cul-de-sac on Hidden Oak Drive. I have been so proud to work for my second home as an assistant city attorney. I’ve built many wonderful friendships during this time in my career that I will always cherish.
Unfortunately, my secondary employment has interfered with my service to the City of Pensacola. I sincerely regret that. I look forward to clearing my name in upcoming proceedings.
Thank you for the opportunity to resign with benefits provided under the SES policy. An immediate family member is battling stage four cancer, and I am grateful to be with him at this time, which would not be possible but for Pensacola’s benefits policies.
I’m very much appreciate the opportunity to have been of service to Pensacola. I wish you and everyone at the city great success. If I may be of assistance to anyone in transition related to my departure, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Heather Fisher Lindsay
If Heather Lindsay really has worked as hard as it appears she might have to not fulfill public record, then part of the fault of that lays squarely on the State’s Attorney’s office for not yet indicting Doug Underhill on 13 thousands records withheld intentionally. Why on earth would any public offiical who doesn’t have the ethical fiber to do what’s right be concerned about fulfilling records, if they know the worst they might have to endure is getting dragged through civil court?
Now that Ms. Madden has a whole nother term to get some things accomplished, here’s hoping she will revisit that scenario. If not, we could be watching the fallout of elected officials flagrantly violating the public records statute for some time to come in her jurisdiction. It isn’t a lot to hold them accountable for one of the most pivotal transparency laws in the country. I remain hopeful that a respected federal judge’s ruling on the brazen crimes Doug committed with his outright refusal to fulfill will eventually see justice. The wheels of justice may grind slowly, but hopefully they will indeed keep grinding.
Jack – My transcription software didn’t add the period. I have fixed it.
-Rick
Hopefully she will move on from Milton too, and give them a chance to rebuild some trust with the citizens and get some actual work done.
I still don’t understand this sentence, however.
“I sincerely regret that I look forward to clearing my name in upcoming proceedings.”
Maybe she regrets how hard it will be, considering the nature of her behavior this year.