Paul Sheddan claims city manager, city commissioners spread false information that led to his removal
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
Paul Sheddan, former mayor of the City of St. Marks, filed a defamation lawsuit last week against city officials, claiming they made false claims against him that led to him being removed as mayor in November of last year.
The lawsuit was filed against the City of St. Marks and City Manager Zoe Mansfield and her assistant Ethel Jefferson, both officially and personally; against city commissioners Steve Remke, Sharon Rudd, Paula Bell and John Gunter; and citizen Sharon Palmer. Palmer is accused of circulating a petition in the city with several complaints about Sheddan and demanding that he resign or be removed.The lawsuit was filed in Wakulla Circuit Court on Monday, May 6 by Panama City attorney Jean Marie Downing.Sheddan, who was still a sitting city commissioner, submitted his resignation as of Tuesday, May 7. While the newspaper had come across the lawsuit already in the normal course of checking new cases, Sheddan sent an email to the editor to make sure the newspaper was aware of the case. “The lawsuit, Sheddan wrote, “is in response to the deeds, actions and words that focused on and centered around the removal of the Mayor that occurred on November 9, 2023 commission meeting.”In his lawsuit, Sheddan claims City Manager Zoe Mansfield has mismanaged public funds – saying utility monies were being improperly comingled with property taxes and other general revenue funds that led to the city’s current financial crisis in which city commissioners had to increase utility rates 75%. Mansfield declined to comment about the lawsuit.Sheddan also notes a May 30, 2023 meeting with Mansfield in which he expressed concerns about the condition of St. Marks River Park’s restrooms after the three-day holiday weekend. Mansfield reportedly told Sheddan that she requires voluntreers to get cleaning supplies from her. “After learning of Mansfield’s policies, (Sheddan) adamantly expressed his opinion that her policies were unsatisfactory.”In November, Sheddan made clear he would call for Mansfield’s termination if she did not resign.About a week before that meeting, City Attorney William Garner informed Sheddan that Mansfield and city manager assistant Ethel Jefferson had hired an attorney, Marie Mattox, and Garner questioned Sheddan about a “yelling incident” at the office – referring to the May meeting.Sheddan denied yelling at or threatening Mansfield or Jefferson.Garner told Sheddan that Mansfield and Jefferson said they felt unsafe coming to work because of Sheddan’s threats. Sheddan missed the Nov. 9, 2023 city commission meeting because of a family emergency and was informed the next day that the city commission had voted to remove him as mayor.The lawsuit claims that he then learned of a petition presented at the meeting by citizen Sharon Palmer that accused Sheddan of, among other things, shouting down citizens at meeting and berating city staff. Sheddan claims the petition’s claims are based on false statements by Mansfield and Jefferson. He notes a story was written by the newspaper that is accessible to the world on the internet. Sheddan claims to have suffered harm to his reputation with the small town community of St. Marks and in the world due to the news story.
