Fort Pierce - Thursday August 15, 2024: At a Special meeting Thursday afternoon the Fort Pierce City Commission voted unanimously to place City Manager Nick Mimms on administrative leave with full pay and benefits, following his arrest on allegations that he fixed the bid for a lease on city property for his niece.
The City Commission also voted to hire an independent counsel to conduct an investigation for the City into the allegations that led to Mimms arrest.
After a two-year investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrested the 51-year-old Mimms Wednesday afternoon and charged him with Bid Tampering and Official Misconduct .
He is accused in connection with an RFP issued by Fort Pierce seeking proposals to develop surplus property in the Lincoln Park downtown corridor of Fort Pierce. The surplus property is owned by the City of Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency.
A news release Wednesday from FDLE alleges that its agents found that Mimms initiated the process to have the lots declared as surplus, and then intentionally rigged the bid to make sure Lincoln Park Young Professionals (LPYP) received the lease. Lincoln Park Young Professionals is a local nonprofit formed by two former city employees, one of whom is Mimms’ niece.
Mimms was booked into the St. Lucie County jail and released ON Wednesday evening after posting a $10-thousand-dollar bail.
The City Commission Thursday named City Clerk Linda Cox as the temporary City Manager.