Cape Coral council ends city manager’s contract in late-session vote

A sudden change at City Hall

Cape Coral’s city government will soon operate under new administrative leadership after the City Council voted to terminate City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn’s contract without cause. The termination is set for 11:59 p.m. Monday, according to the decision announced after a council meeting that several members said caught them off guard.

Mayor John Gunter introduced the motion, and Councilmember Joe Kilraine seconded it. The measure passed with four votes in favor: Gunter, William E. “Bill” Steinke, Dr. Derrick Donnell and Kilraine. Councilmember Laurie Lehmann cast the only opposing vote. No reason for the termination was given during the discussion or at the time of the vote.

Interim leadership named

Maureen Buice, who previously served as an assistant to the city manager, has been selected to serve as interim city manager. Ilczyszyn will also receive a severance package, though the source report did not specify its value or other terms.

The decision unfolded near the end of a meeting and immediately produced visible disagreement among council members. Keith Long and Rachel Kaduk left during the discussion before the vote. Jennifer Nelson-Lastra departed earlier, saying she had to leave for medical reasons and did not know the contract termination would be considered.

“I am appalled by what happened after I left tonight’s City Council meeting.”

Nelson-Lastra told Gulf Coast News that she had undergone cataract surgery Thursday and left after council reports because she was in pain. She said she would not have supported the motion and questioned whether the action had been coordinated. She also called for an investigation into whether Sunshine laws were broken, saying Cape Coral residents deserved answers.

Questions over timing and motive

Kaduk challenged the lack of an explanation during the discussion, asking why a contract described as ending “without cause” was being terminated. Long also objected forcefully, questioning what the council was doing. Both members said the timing was inappropriate because the action occurred before Gunter’s last day, according to the report.

Gunter said the election process showed that residents had spoken, and he cited that as the reason he made the motion. The meeting did not include a stated cause for removing Ilczyszyn, leaving the public with a leadership change but few details about the rationale behind it.

What happens next

For city operations, the immediate transition is clear: Ilczyszyn’s contract ends Monday night, and Buice will serve as interim manager. The longer-term impact will depend on how the council handles the city manager position, the severance arrangement and the questions raised by members who objected to the vote or were absent when it occurred.

• Contract action: Ilczyszyn’s agreement will end without cause at 11:59 p.m. Monday.
• Interim manager: Maureen Buice has been named to lead the city administration on an interim basis.
• Vote: The measure passed 4-1, with Gunter, Steinke, Donnell and Kilraine voting yes and Lehmann voting no.
• Outstanding questions: The council did not state a cause, and Nelson-Lastra requested an investigation into possible Sunshine law violations.

The abrupt vote places Cape Coral’s administrative structure under scrutiny as residents and council members seek more information about the decision. For now, the city is moving from Ilczyszyn’s tenure to an interim arrangement shaped by a divided council and a vote that several members said they did not expect.