Gainesville City Manager Cynthia Curry announced her resignation on Aug. 8 after almost four years with the city.

On Sunday, she distributed the following letter to city staff to explain her decision. She also shared the letter with Mainstreet, which is publishing it in its entirety for Gainesville neighbors to read.

To view Mainstreet’s original coverage of Curry’s announcement, click here.

From Cynthia W. Curry:

After more than 40 years in public service, I have decided this is my season to step away from the demands of leading city operations. Serving as Gainesville’s city manager has been one of the most rewarding chapters of my career, and it has been a privilege to guide this community through times of change and progress.

My decision to retire is personal, professional and providential.

Personal – At 70, I have devoted more than four decades of my life to the constant rhythm of attending meetings, developing budgets and supporting the policy decisions that shape communities. Throughout my career this work has supercharged me to rise each day and face the challenges that come with public service. I have not lost that sense of purpose, but now is the time for me to leave behind the formality of commission agendas. I have reached a place at which I have earned the flexibility to do what I wish with my time.

No day is promised. During this past year, I faced a breast cancer scare that brought me pause. A lesion was discovered in a very early stage. I had no reason to hide this diagnosis because life is transparent: So I shared my experience to educate others and work through the fear of the unknown. With my faith in God and support from family, friends and colleagues—I pressed on. As we know, health decisions are personal, but mammograms are a crucial screening tool. I urge other women to get regular checkups, speak openly with your doctor, and get your mammograms as recommended.

Professional – When I arrived in Gainesville in November 2021, the city organization was struggling with financial accountability and reporting, drawing sharp attention from the Florida Auditor General and the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC). Building a team, we tackled the problems and changed the narrative. For the past two fiscal years, Gainesville has received clean financial audits from Purvis, Gray & Company. The city’s Department of Financial Services completed the Fiscal Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports (ACFR) on schedule with no new findings. I expect the same for Fiscal Year 2025, as I have put in place effective leadership, a skilled finance team and a commitment to transparency and accuracy.

The financial reforms were part of a broader strategy to strengthen the city’s fiscal position. Fitch Ratings upgraded Gainesville’s credit rating in 2024, citing financial resilience, reduced expenditures and strong reserves. As we have navigated through the past three fiscal years, we have had to adjust to a changing financial and operational landscape. I have presented the city commission with annual budget proposals that sustain city operations and preserve core services despite significant revenue declines. Yes, one of the levers used was to increase taxes, but at the same time a reduction in workforce was also necessary. Through it all, the city remains a financially healthy organization.

I welcome every test and never run from a challenge. I honed my skills in Miami-Dade County government, where I started as an intern and rose through the ranks to become assistant budget director and then assistant county manager. Along the way, I supervised Hurricane Andrew recovery in South Florida alongside FEMA, and I was a gubernatorial appointment serving on the Governor’s Emergency Financial Oversight Board for the City of Miami. I have served as senior vice president at Florida Memorial University and Florida International University, where my contributions were integral to that institution’s reaccreditation process. I was honored to serve in an interim role as the first city manager for the City of Miami Gardens as it became a newly incorporated municipality.

And yes—audits have been part of that journey. I have engaged in local, state and federal audits over the course of my career, and all were approached with respect for the work involved and resolve to complete the tasks that followed. The Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) current review of Gainesville is the latest in a series of audits occurring in the city. Upon the DOGE team’s arrival at Gainesville City Hall, we granted each member the personal and professional empathy they deserved, and we provided the resources they needed to complete their assignment on site. The rest of the work is completely out of my control—my life goes on.

Providential – And so, after four decades, I have arrived at the right moment to turn the page. My work here is not “finished” in the absolute sense—public service is never done—but I believe that Gainesville is in a stronger, more stable position than when I arrived in November 2021. The noise around why I am leaving now is just that—noise. It comes from admirers and detractors alike. Meanwhile, I remain grounded in my own values built on peace and tranquility and not the volatility of chaos and negative energy.

The City of Gainesville will move forward with a team of well-trained professionals at the helm. We have a succession plan in place and all departments will continue to operate smoothly. It is worth mentioning that I have maintained an open-door policy with staff, neighbors and community groups throughout my tenure as city manager. This openness has been an important part of my decision-making process and I hope this tradition will go on.

Leadership is measured not only in how you begin, but in how you end. It is measured in how you step back and the spirit and integrity with which you depart. I leave grateful to the commission for entrusting me with this responsibility, to the residents for holding us to high standards, and to the staff for their professionalism and dedication.

I always say that Gainesville is special, and it is. It has been an honor to help write the story of our shared community. As the next chapter unfolds, I will look on with interest and remember with pride the good work we accomplished together.

In closing, as my pastor often says, “Fly High!”

In the spirit of excellence,
Cynthia W. Curry
Gainesville City Manager