Citizens start petition calling for investigation into Alachua resignations

Alachua City Hall
Alachua City Hall
Photo by Seth Johnson

A petition calling for the Alachua City Commission to investigate the resignations of three city planners topped 320 signatures in the first five days. 

A collective of citizens known as Our Alachua Water (OAW) posted the petition, titled “Alachua City Commission: Investigate Resignations, Protect Mill Creek Sink & Public Trust” to change.org on Aug. 17. 

OAW formed last summer with a mission to protect Mill Creek Sink from the five-part Tara development preliminarily approved to be built next to it. 

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In a public letter explaining his resignation (full letter below), former principal planner Justin Tabor attributed his departure in part to outside influences from former City Manager Adam Boukari on then City Manager Mike DaRoza and other planning staff regarding Tara. 

The City Commission voted in July against investigating Tabor’s and the other two planners’ reasons for resigning—its second time doing so this year—leaving some citizens questioning Alachua’s ability to move forward with transparent operations and development of Tara. 

“The people of Alachua deserve clarity, accountability, and transparency,” the petition says. “Ignoring the resignations of three senior planners in such a critical moment is unacceptable. Trust in our local government and the protection of our water resources depends on it. We respectfully but firmly call on the City Commission to reopen and complete the independent investigation without delay.” 

OAW’s petition includes a timeline of commission votes beginning on Feb. 10 when it first directed City Attorney Marian Rush to research outside legal counsel who could investigate the planners’ resignations.  

The timeline chronicles Feb. 24 when a vote to secure one of Rush’s recommendations failed, May 19 when the commission re-tasked Rush to find new candidates at the request of citizens, and July 28 when a failed vote to hire one of them called that investigation off. 

City Attorney Marian Rush and Interim City Manager Rodolfo Valladares hear presentations from the dais during a regular meeting. Photo by Lillian Hamman
Photo by Lillian Hamman City Attorney Marian Rush and Interim City Manager Rodolfo Valladares hear presentations from the dais during a regular meeting.

Since the planners left, two of the three empty planning positions have been filled. DaRoza resigned in May and did not give a reason for his departure. The City Commission voted Rodolfo Valladares, who is also named in Tabor’s letter, as interim city manager.  

The City Commission also voted 3-2 during its most recent regular meeting to fire Rush and seek in-house legal counsel instead. It has yet to find a replacement city attorney. 

Along with signing the petition, OAW encourages people to send emails calling for an investigation and opposing the Tara developments directly to the Alachua City Commission and the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). 

As a low-lying area that connects directly to the Florida Aquifer through an underwater cave system, Mill Creek Sink feeds into water bodies such as wells, springs and the Santa Fe River. 

Alachua County considers Mill Creek Sink one of its top strategic ecosystems to protect and has opposed the more than 1,000 homes and businesses Tara plans to bring next to the sink. 

Last October, the BOCC directed staff to stay involved in Tara’s process, proposed buying some of the land around the sink to curb the development and designated $1 million to be used for litigation against it. Alachua County sent a letter to the city of Alachua in June reiterating its concerns and pushing the city to carefully review the developments.  

A petition started in July 2024 opposing Tara garnered nearly 2,700 signatures and indicates a response from the Alachua City Commission is still pending. OAW’s petition calling for the investigation shows an initial goal to secure 500 signatures. 

“Remediation for future environmental and drinking water issues due to this development will cost far more than it could ever make Alachua,” commented one signer named Michaela on OAW’s petition. “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when.” 

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