Action News Jax’s Ben Becker has learned City of Jacksonville ex-grants chief Audrey Gibson was accused of “unprofessional behavior” and creating a “toxic work environment” in a written reprimand before her sudden resignation from the Mayor’s Office in June .
Gibson, one of the most notable political figures in Northeast Florida for two decades, served in the State House and Senate before being appointed by Mayor Donna Deegan to lead the grants division in August 2023 at a salary of $150,000 per year.
The Democrat, who initially ran against Deegan for Mayor, was neutral ahead of the May 2023 runoff election when Deegan defeated Republican Daniel Davis.
Becker obtained Gibson’s personnel file that shows Gibson’s supervisor Chief Financial Officer Anna Brosche placed Gibson on a performance improvement plan in April.
In the formal written reprimand, Gibson was accused by staff as far back as February of “unprofessional behavior” including “yelling” and helping to create a “toxic work environment,” including Gibson being resistant to staff questions by responding “because I am the chief!” plus “not understanding what certain staff members do.”
Gibson’s Formal Written Reprimand Performance Improvement Plan:
“That’s not great,” said University of North Florida Political Science Professor Michael Binder, who is the Faculty Director of UNF’s Public Opinion Research Laboratory.
“It also may be the fact she has a very different leadership style than was existing in the current administration and that didn’t gel with it, and it may have rubbed some people the wrong way.”
Becker first reported in June that Jacksonville’s Office of Inspector General said the city failed to properly oversee grants awarded to Clara White Mission, a nonprofit headed by City Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman.
Gibson told Becker immediately following her resignation she was in the process of writing up steps the office was making to address other compliance matters at the time of her resignation.
“This goes back multiple administrations, there is nothing new here, it’s a difficult office, they have had a lot of problems over time,” Binder said.
Gibson did not comment to Becker about the nature of her departure, but did appear to show contrition in her personnel file, “As the team leader and a team player, I have the capacity, wherewithal and humility to meet all the described expectations for successful and effective leadership,” adding “I never disrespected anyone.”
However, it did not appear she could repair a fractured relationship with Brosche who wrote about one of her final meetings with Gibson, “We acknowledged our lack of trust in one another.”
Binder said Gibson’s quick exit from the Mayor’s Office doesn’t impact her legacy.
“She did a lot for the community,” Binder said. “I think her role in a leadership position in the Senate, what she’s done, and the projects she was able to bring back to Jacksonville I think are valued and I don’t think that is easily forgotten.”
A Mayor’s Office spokesperson told Becker the city does not comment on personnel matters.
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