Lawson, McCoy, combatants in January, back each other for top positions in Riviera Beach

Wayne Washington, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·4 min read

The Riviera Beach City Council returned Douglas Lawson to the chairmanship this weekon Wednesday, April 3, pulling the gavel from newcomer Glen Spiritis' hands only two weeks after his surprising elevation.

And in another stunning twist, Lawson backed Tradrick McCoy as chairman pro tem. The two had a physical altercation this year, and Lawson supported a move by the council to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend or remove McCoy.

DeSantis has taken no action on the council's request.

Riviera Beach Council member Douglas Lawson speaks to an audience gathered during the grand opening of Riviera Beach's newest fire station, Station 88, on Saturday, July 8, 2023, in Riviera Beach, Fla. Featuring state-of-the-art facilities, the 31,000 square foot, $20 million building houses Riviera Beach Fire Rescue trucks, decontamination facilities, a memorial honoring fallen firefighters from 9/11 and more.

The jockeying for chair and chair pro tem does not directly impact policy, but the machinations do offer a glimpse into the power dynamics of a council where personal animus and grievance have led to fiery clashes.

"I'm really grateful to just serve here as a councilperson," McCoy said during the council meeting Wednesday, April 3, after backing his nomination and getting support from Lawson and Spiritis to serve as chair pro team. A pro team runs council meetings when the chairman is absent.

Spiritis was voted chairman by his colleagues on March 20, literally minutes after he was sworn in for his first term. Three council members — Lawson, McCoy and Shirley Lanier — had all nominated themselves for the position but none received majority support on the five-person council.

Glenn Spiritis
Glenn Spiritis

So council members turned to Spiritis, a former Long Beach, New York, city manager who succeeded Julia Botel as District 4's council member after an appellate court determined that Botel did not follow state law in attempting to qualify for reelection.

Two days after Spiritis' elevation, Lawson said he had a change of heart, explaining that he believes Spiritis should not chair council meetings in Riviera Beach without previous experience serving on its council.

After a special meeting called by McCoy that some thought could lead to the firing of City Manager Jonathan Evans, Lawson suggested a new vote be held for council chair.

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McCoy, who had backed Spiritis for chair and questioned whether a new vote could be held, chided Lawson and likened him to a drum major who always wants to be out front. That drew an angry retort from Lawson, who referred to McCoy as a "quasi-attorney."

The sniping was an echo of January's physical altercation between the two men, which prompted an investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. PBSO found probable cause to seek a charge of simple battery against both men but did not pursue that course when each councilman decided not to have the other prosecuted.

Some residents said they were embarrassed by the sparring and mortified that leaders of a majority-Black city would be acting in ways that validate racial stereotypes.

Riviera Council's latest vote offers the possibility of a page being turned

After Lawson nominated McCoy to serve as chair pro tem, McCoy nominated Lawson to serve as board chair for the city's Community Redevelopment Agency, which uses taxpayer money to revitalize blighted sections of the city. Council members double as the CRA's board of directors.

Lawson backed himself and got support from Spiritis and McCoy to win the vote for CRA board chair. He then nominated McCoy to serve as vice chair, who got votes from the same three men.

The council's detente will be tested in the months ahead as it wrestles with a slew of weighty, expensive issues, including an investigation into the city's drinking water, progress on plans for a new water treatment facility and giant development projects that could include a new City Hall.

Riviera Beach Fire Rescue Chief John Curd gives a tour of Riviera Beach's new fire station under construction at 1920 W. Heron Blvd to City Council member Julia Botel, center, City Manager Jonathan Evans, and City Council members Tradrick McCoy and KaShamba Miller-Anderson prior to the start of a construction topping off ceremony for the building on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, in Riviera Beach, FL.

Evans' fate also remains unclear.

Some residents and council members do not believe he should serve as both city manager and CRA director. McCoy and Lawson have both expressed anger and disappointment with him in recent weeks, but he retains the support of Lanier and Councilwoman KaShamba Miller-Anderson.

Spiritis, who drew praise from residents Wednesday night for the way he handled his removal as chairman, could hold the key to whether Evans stays or goes.

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Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Lawson, McCoy support each for leadership spots in Riviera Beach