A confidential report has been prepared by Fort Myers Beach Human Resources Director Talissa Oliviera for Town Manager Will McKannay about the bungled old Town Hall property parking lot. It has not been released to the public and Town Council members were asked to come to City Hall to read it. They could not take it. We have the full report.
The report places the blame for what happened with the town hall property squarely on the shoulders of former Community Development Director Frankie Kropacek and Community Services Director Jeff Hauge.
Both men were placed on paid Administrative leave in August and fired in October. The town is couching the firings as voluntary resignations. As we’ve reported Kropacek was paid an additional $11,000 and signed an agreement not to sue the town and Hague was paid $10,000 to sign a similar letter.
Town Manager Will McKannay told Beach Talk Radio Monday that he would not discuss individual personnel matters. “That protects the fairness of the process and protects the town. Public records are available through the Town Clerk’s office. When I learned that work at the former Town Hall property had moved forward without required planning and permitting, I stopped it and asked for a review. No work will resume until it can be done correctly.”
If the report is accurate Fort Myers Beach residents may want to know why they had to dole out $21,000 (in addition to the 2 months paid leave) when details in the report show the town claims they had cause to let them go. The offers to Kropacek and Hauge did not need council approval because they were under the $20,000 cap that would trigger approval. That cap was approved one day before Hauge and Kropacek were offered the money.
McKannay commented, A firing can look like the clearest answer, but it isn’t always the most responsible one. Contested terminations bring appeals, legal claims and attorney fees, and taxpayers pay those costs. A negotiated resolution trades that uncertainty for finality, within the strict limits of Florida law. I make these decisions with advice from staff and legal counsel. My job is not to make the decision that feels most satisfying. It is to make the one that best protects the Town and its taxpayers. I stand by my decisions, and I am accountable for them.”
The allegations against the two men in this report are lengthy, including an unapproved $8,500 payment to a local construction company.
The report alleges that Kropacek directed the issuance of a permit before the required documents and reviews were complete, signed an inaccurate certification on behalf of the town, made statements to Town Council that the permit record does not support, and did not carry out the Town Manager’s direction to bring the project into compliance despite five months of coaching. As a result, the project remains under a stop work order with an expired permit.
The report goes on to say that employment with the town is at will, and the Employee Handbook provides that any policy violation may result in discipline up to and including termination.
The report alleges that Hauge, under an agreement with local construction company ICS, had the site graded and raised about three feet before any permit application was filed, without a Development Order, fill permit or Environmental Resource Permit; oversaw construction of a retaining wall without approved plans, which a March 5, 2026 stop work order recorded as in process of being built; was responsible for a project on which the town paid in full on April 9, 2026, while the stop work order was in effect. That payment included the full retaining wall scope and $8,500.00 for concrete hauling performed April 8–9, 2026. The total paid, $146,553.13, is $8,500.00 more than Town Council ratified, and Finance reports the invoices were signed “Jeff H” 133 days after payment.
The report goes on to say that Hauge directed engineering work under an unrelated stormwater agreement with no project specific purchase order or task authorization, after the Town Manager’s February 25, 2026 procurement directive. As a result, the Town has paid for a project that remains under a stop work order with an expired permit. The project includes a retaining wall whose structural capacity is unconfirmed, and its engineering costs were charged to an unrelated agreement.
Town Manager Will McKannay was hoping to convert the old town hall property into a paid parking lot and offer discounted rates to employees of beach businesses. He moved forward with that idea trusting the employees in the positions to follow that idea through would go through the proper procedurs to get the work done. The work was haulted when the Town Council had questions about the elevation and the possibility of cars driving over the ledge as it was being proposed.
For months, residents who live on the street where the lot is have been asking the town to clean up the mess that remained since the work stopped. Finally, last week, the lot was cleaned.
Read the full HR report HERE
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ICS used that land to store and move material for years after Ian..who did they pay to use that lot????
So, just keeping score here…Our local officials cant produce a parking lot without completely crapping the bed. That’s where we’re at.
I agree with Town Manager Will McKannay‘s comments regarding the realities today of firing vs agreements for voluntary resignations. His decision probably saved us in the long run. I also won’t confuse ineptness with intentional fraud. I hope that all these issues were a result of individuals thinking they were benefiting the town. And to those of us throwing stones at our elected officials, how many of you volunteered to run for office & take on these huge responsibilities? Not me!
Thanks Sylvia, you saved me the time writing what you just said. Frankly, it bugs the heck out of me to see so many uninformed negative comments and allegations from people too cowardly to sign their full or real names. I’m behind Will 100%.
There is a saying in theater world: “Critics are like eunuchs, they can comment on the act but not perform it.” At least critics have a byline.
So, if understand correctly, the reasons why Jeff and Frankie were let go were related to the parking lot. And if that is correct, why did the town decide to spend money on hush money and investigating the grant issues, especially since it appears that there may not have been any issues with the grants at all?? Fort Myers Beach needs outside auditing on a regular basis, at a minimum, of how the taxpayers money is being spent, so as not continue to waste the tax payers money!
The new council needs to put tighter guardrails in place to control Will’s spending and his ability to add headcount at town hall. These are the “easy buttons” to make a manager’s job easier but cost the taxpayers. Will is a heavy EASY BUTTON user.
Nice work Ed. I award you the badge of investigative reporter.
Keep it up.
Getting your hands on a confidential report inside town hall certainly supports the folks who have been questioning that government’s transparency.
Yet another example of local government incompetence and possible back door dealings … paying folks while on leave for 5 weeks?? completely unnecessary!! then using taxpayer funds to pay them a severance ???? Approving developments that should never be approved while others are stonewalled! This pool sounds like one of those projects, in addition to these food truck parks they keep approving! The one on Chapel surrounded by (and on top of) residential properties on a small lot is just one of those projects that should have never been approved in that location! Incidentally, Anita (LPA) did not approve this project because she knew how intrusive and insensitive it was on neighbors!! Makes absolutely no sense … one can’t help but feel its who you know in this town or wonder how/who is benefiting … and it dosent appear to be the residents or taxpayers.
CHRISTY H
The manager is accountable for what his employees are doing. He failed on oversight. He’s a problem in all of this. It should never have gone this far or this long. He shouldn’t get a pass on any of this.
Agree! The captain should go down with the ship in this case! These two worked closely with the town manager!
After reading today’s Beach Talk Radio News article concerning former Fort Myers Beach Community Development Director Frankie Kropacek, I believe the Town needs to expand its investigation to include the permitting and approval of the elevated swimming pool at 21391 Widgeon Terrace.
I have repeatedly raised serious concerns about this structure with Town officials, including former Community Development Director Frankie Kropacek, Town Manager Will McKannay, and Mayor Dan Allers.
The pool was constructed while the property was designated VE-12 under FEMA’s effective flood maps.
The structure consists of an elevated swimming pool supported by concrete construction that does not meet the applicable coastal flood requirements. My concerns include shallow foundations, solid non-breakaway walls, and the absence of the deep foundation system. The elevated structure only has 2 foot deep footing.
Following construction, the property owner pursued FEMA Letter of Map Revision 26-04-0698P, which became effective September 8, 2026, changing the property’s flood-zone designation from VE-12 to AE-11.
However, the revised mapping includes a Coastal A Zone designation affecting the pool area. I believe the structure remains noncompliant with applicable coastal flood construction requirements, regardless of the map revision.
I have asked Town Manager Will McKannay and Mayor Dan Allers to include the permitting and approval of this property in an independent investigation.
I have also offered to pay for an independent coastal structural engineer to examine the construction and determine whether it complies with the Florida Building Code and applicable floodplain regulations.
My wife and I have been connected to Fort Myers Beach for more than 50 years. We are simply trying to protect our home and our family’s safety.
At the same time, we have invested in rebuilding businesses on Fort Myers Beach, including our property at 2815 Estero Boulevard, where we have encountered substantial permitting difficulties and delays. We are also working toward opening a new restaurant.
I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for consistent enforcement of the same building codes and permitting requirements for everyone, including the Town itself.
Today’s reporting raises serious questions about permitting oversight during Mr. Kropacek’s tenure.
I believe the residents of Fort Myers Beach deserve an independent review of the approvals at 21391 Widgeon Terrace, a written determination of whether the structure complies with applicable regulations, and an explanation of how these approvals were granted.
Public safety, transparency, and equal treatment should apply to everyone.
Nothing will change, residents will continue to vote in incompetent & compromised council members, who in turn will hire another incompetent Town Manager, who in turn will hire more incompetent people and pay them above market rate compensation & benefits, who in turn will continue to grow the town bureaucracy to extort more money from RESIDENTS, who in turn will vote for nothing different at the next election and then complain about it. Rinse and Repeat.
Will trusted the Town Employees to follow proper procedure. He likely had no inkling they would do otherwise.
More lame excuses from someone whose taxpayer money wasn’t wasted. If you don’t live here and completely understand what’s been happening, please don’t justify WEAK leadership if you can even call it leadership.
theres more than one signature on those orders… will himself had to sign off on those orders as well… no mention or accountability on that?
This situation is just another example of incompetent government leeches taking care of their own at the taxpayer’s expense. When it’s time to fire manager McKannay, he is letting us know we can expect a lawsuit.
His contract is up in May!
6 Months max of Will McKannay’s incompetence, unaccountability and lies!!! FMB deserves better!!
What an outrage to pay these guys off. Taxpayers were screwed. BTW great reporting job.
Here’s a little unsolicited advice to anyone that is thinking about going into public service….DO THE RIGHT THING AND STAY ABOVE BOARD. Everything you do will eventually be seen by the public. Seems like a no brainer, but it’s not, as evidenced by this story. Time for a new manager!!!
Take the money from the town manager!!! Why are we the taxpayers paying for an employee who should have been fired.
This is the kind of crap the taxpayers have had enough of!!!