The town of Fort Myers Beach is beginning the process of searching for a new manager after Andrew Hyatt suddenly announced he's stepping down.
Mayor Dan Allers revealed that the resignation was triggered by an angry resident's threats to his family.
"It's a little concerning when people go outside the realm of trying to find people's personal information and track them down in their hometown," Mayor Allers said. "I don't blame the town manager for being worried for his safety at all. I would be just the same as someone was doing that to my wife."
This incident is part of a larger wave of backlash the town council has faced since approving plans for 17-story condo towers at the site of the former Red Coconut RV Park. Angry calls, emails, and, yes, even personal threats have poured in from angry residents.
Council Member John King shared that he’s also received threatening messages, including hurtful comments about his wife and family. Just a couple examples of comments from emails he forwarded NBC2 were, "Please step down before you are forced out of office and town due to your narrowminded self-serving attitude threatens your well being," and "I hope your next meal gives you heart burn & you wake up tomorrow with athlete's foot."
"That's sad. I mean, people have a right to voice their opinion, but not to threaten people or threaten their families. But it's the way this world is today," said Carol Taddeo, a seasonal resident of 36 years of Fort Myers Beach. "Maybe the town council has to be more open and and talk things through before they make decisions that they know. I mean, you had to know that that was going to make the town ruffle up, you know, because 17-stories is almost ridiculous."
According to the mayor, the threats that pushed Hyatt to the edge weren't over Seagate's Development.
"Essentially, someone wasn't happy with the contractors work that was being done in their condo building and, didn't like the answers that they received from our building official and the town staff and has just taken a whole new taken to a whole new level that it doesn't need to go to," said Mayor Allers.
The town has 100 days to find Hyatt's replacement. In the meantime Mayor Allers plans on addressing any safety concerns any other staff member may have and says he feels confident town leaders will fill "the big shoes" Hyatt is leaving behind.
Town Manager Andrew Hyatt has declined to make any comments since his announcement at town hall during Tuesday's meeting.