Lynn Haven leaders face questions on attorney change, phishing loss and transparency at trial town hall

At a pilot town‑hall meeting intended to expand two‑way conversation, residents pressed Lynn Haven’s leaders about internal staffing decisions and a recent financial fraud as commissioners emphasized transparency and rebuilding public trust.

City attorney change: Several speakers asked why longtime attorney Amy Myers left the city’s lead role. The mayor said he asked the lead attorney for additional support and that Rob Jackson has acted as a plug‑in lead attorney; Amy Myers resigned and remains involved with some committees, according to the mayor. "Amy Myers said Ben our lead, but I went to Kevin and I said I would like another lead attorney to submit to support the commission... Rob Jackson's been doing a great job," the mayor said on the record. Commissioners debated whether the mayor’s request to the law firm crossed an administrative line and emphasized the need to stay within statutory separation of duties.

Phishing and recovery efforts: A resident asked about $200,000–$220,000 lost in a phishing scam. Staff said the account was swept by the receiving bank, $2,700 was recovered from the source account, an insurance claim has been submitted and subpoenas were issued to the receiving bank; the Department of Homeland Security is involved in the investigation. "It's more than likely that the bank's insurance will cover the remaining funds. If not, then our insurance will," a staff member said, while noting the timing of recovery is uncertain because the DHS investigation remains open.

Transparency and public trust: Multiple residents urged improved communication, better use of Civic Plus tools and clearer follow‑through on past promises, particularly citing a library replacement that has not yet been delivered. Commissioners acknowledged past missteps and said they intend to expand public affairs capacity, including a recently dedicated public affairs staff member and a new podcast.

Next steps: Commissioners said staff will bring a sponsorship policy to the next agenda, continue the search or RFQ for legal representation options and provide debt service and stormwater assessment details on request. The mayor asked residents to complete feedback forms on the town‑hall format, and staff committed to circulating budgetary read‑ahead materials before forthcoming meetings.