New mayor will be elected in April
By B.C. Manion
Steve Van Gorden has resigned his position as mayor of Zephyrhills.
Van Gorden had already stepped down from his role as principal of Zephyrhills High and as president of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce in the midst of an investigation involving claims of sexual harassment. He was facing an impeachment hearing by the Zephyrhills City Council in January.
Van Gorden explained his decision in a letter of resignation that was dated Dec. 13, but submitted to the city the following day.
“After a great deal of personal reflection and in consultation with my family and close advisors, I have decided that it is in the best interest of all concerned that I resign my position of Mayor of Zephyrhills immediately,” Van Gorden wrote.
He went on to express his love for the city of Zephyrhills and his belief in its potential. Those facts made his decision to step down more difficult, Van Gorden wrote.
However, Van Gorden added, “Hardworking, taxpaying citizens deserve to have their money put to work on services and in leaders that focus on the improvement of their quality of life. I do not believe it to be in anyone’s interest to further debate or distract resources from that single priority.”
Van Gorden’s decision to step down from the mayor’s post came less than two weeks after resigning as president of the Zephyrhills chamber. Initially, he had taken a 60-day leave of absence, but he decided instead to step away from the position in a Dec. 3 letter. He said work obligations would make it impossible to remain in the post.
John Scott stepped in as chamber president, effective Dec. 5.
As Van Gorden leaves the mayor’s post, Zephyrhills City Council member Kenneth Compton will assume the role until a new mayor is elected.
City voters will choose a new mayor in the city’s next municipal election, scheduled for April 2, said City Manager Jim Drumm.
The city charter calls for a special election to be held, except in cases where the next regular election is within six months of the vacancy, Drumm said. The city will exercise that option because it wants as many voters as possible to participate in electing the mayor and it wants to avoid the expense of a special election.
