Usually in Palmetto Bay, village hall meetings fill half or less of the audience seats. Online, meetings average 100 views. However, as citizens and elected officials called for the resignation of Councilman Steve Cody, the last meeting packed the room, with many left standing. The viewer count online surpassed 500 views.
Controversy has swirled around Cody for years. One of the architects of the county’s modern system of government, he’s been sued multiple times by lenders for nonpayment of his mortgage, had his law license suspended, then failed to renew it, and has been involved in several city hall legal battles, at least one of which involved R-rated language and accusations.
The latest controversy started last week, when Cody made an online post regarding the assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk that read: “Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords: Smith & Wesson. Hallowed be their names.” He later deleted the post and issued an apology, but since then there have been widespread calls for his resignation.
“I come before you today, not as a Republican, or Democrat, but as a father,” said a speaker at Monday night’s Palmetto Bay council meeting, who gave his name as Alex. “[Cody] can no longer be trusted to serve or represent Palmetto Bay… It is time for Cody to resign and allow someone with the character and integrity that our village deserves to lead.”
Another resident, who gave her name as Andrea, also spoke out. “The councilman had a right to say what he did,” she said before referencing a statement Cody made in an interview with CBS news, where he declared he would serve until his term’s completion and added: “If I had thought about it longer, I probably would have just kept that thought [about Kirk] to myself.”
That second part irked Andrea. “I’m calling him to step down because that statement tells me that if given a second chance, he would have felt the same way, he just wouldn’t have exposed it.”
Calls for Cody’s resignation have also come from Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham and other local leaders , as well as Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, and Florida Rep. Omar Blanco.
During the meeting, Cody repeated his desire to stay in office. Then, a resolution was sponsored and passed to censure Cody and request his resignation. It passed 4-1, with Cody as the sole dissenting voter.
The resolution states that “while Councilmember Steve Cody’s statements are protected under the First Amendment, the Village Council retains authority to formally censure and request the resignation of members for conduct that undermines public trust, community confidence, or the integrity of the office.”
Then, during the meeting, Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer moved to adjourn, saying that normal business should not continue while Cody remains a councilman. After Merwitzer’s motion failed, he and Councilwoman Marsha Matson left the meeting in protest. (Cody is suing Merwitzer and Palmetto Bay, saying the vice mayor was improperly sworn in by county commissioner Higgins.)
Under Florida law, the village council cannot remove one of its own members. Only the governor or residents can remove or recall a councilmember. A recall petition would require 10% of voters’ signatures, and cannot be started until December, when Cody has served a quarter of his term.
Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been asked to recall Cody, has not yet declared his decision on the matter.
