Ex-manager in Florida city claims 'illegal' acts, but what were they?

Louis Boglioli III, Stuart's former interim city manager and finance director, said he was told as an employee to do illegal, immoral and unethical things.

Nearly three weeks later, no one in City Hall or in the public seems to know what those things were. Boglioli later quit as a Stuart employee.

"I would be very curious what that was," Mayor Christopher Collins said Feb. 23 of the illegal, immoral and unethical things. "I would be just as interested as the public to know what that was."

Collins' comments came at that Feb. 23 City Commission meeting after Commissioner Campbell Rich called for an investigation "of the veracity of the comments by Mr. Boglioli and to determine if there were any criminal, illegal or violations of the code of conduct by any commissioner or commissioners."

Without a second to Rich's motion, the issue appears to be dead.

Boglioli declined to reveal to TCPalm what happened, and the March 9 City Commission agenda includes nothing related to his departure.

Boglioli's comments "sound suspiciously like what Mr. Mortell said on the way out, almost identical talking point," Collins said. "So, I wonder how real it is. 'Cause I didn't ask Mike (Mortell) to do anything illegal or unethical, either."

Additional departures

Boglioli worked for the city for more than 30 years. He was named interim city manager following the firing of City Manager Michael Mortell in October. But Boglioli was in the job just 63 days before Collins forced him out. Since his departure, three other employees in the Finance Department resigned.

The senior accountant resigned after 23 years of service. She told city administrators two years ago she was planning to leave in two years, Interim City Manager Roz Strong said. The assistant finance director also resigned as did the procurement specialist/contract manager, Strong told the commission Feb. 23.

"Something is taking place in the city that suddenly these long-term, loyal, incredibly-valued employees are leaving us, and we need to find out what's happened," Rich said.

Coming clean

Boglioli was being considered for the interim city manager role at least two weeks before Mortell was fired Oct. 27, according to discussions at one or more commission meetings. Boglioli took the reins Nov. 10 and stepped down Jan. 12 after a commissioner "volun-told" him to, he told TCPalm.

That commissioner was Collins, he admitted at the Feb. 23 meeting.

More on Boglioli: Former interim city manager in Florida says he was forced out

More on the city manager: Stuart launches search for new city manager, eyes March to complete it

"Just before that (Jan. 12) meeting, I did speak with (Boglioli)," Collins said. "I didn't tell him to resign. I let him know I would be recommending to the (City Commission) that Roz (Strong) step in" as interim city manager.

That's different from the reason previously given for Boglioli leaving the interim city manager post — his need to focus on mid-year financial work.

Keith Burbank is TCPalm's watchdog reporter covering Martin County. He can be reached at keith.burbank@tcpalm.com and at 720-288-6882.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Ex-manager in Florida city claims 'illegal' acts