Elected officials in Lakeland are currently assessing the status of Stacy Campbell-Domineck on the Lakeland Housing Authority’s board of directors following her recent suspension from her primary leadership role in county workforce development. The debate centers on whether the embattled official should be formally removed or temporarily suspended from her municipal appointment amidst state-level investigations into her administrative conduct.
The municipal discussions follow a decisive action taken on Sept. 1, 2026, by the Polk County Commission, which oversees the local workforce agency. During that proceeding, county commissioners voted to temporarily relieve Campbell-Domineck of her duties as executive director of CareerSource Polk without pay. That disciplinary measure came in direct response to formal state complaints regarding her oversight of the organization.
The origin of the controversy dates to Aug. 25, 2026, when Florida Commerce and CareerSource Florida issued severe accusations concerning Campbell-Domineck’s leadership and fiscal management. State authorities highlighted questionable financial practices, potential unauthorized expenditures of public funds, and instances described as outright deception within the administrative structure of CareerSource Polk.
During a Lakeland City Commission meeting on Sept. 8, Commissioner Guy LaLonde argued that these mounting allegations cannot be ignored by city leadership. Reading the state's formal findings into the record, LaLonde expressed concern that allowing Campbell-Domineck to retain an active governance role during an active probe damages local government credibility and damages citizen trust in the housing authority.
Campbell-Domineck was initially placed on the Lakeland Housing Authority’s governing board in December 2024 through a standard appointment by the city's mayor. Members of this board typically serve four-year terms to help guide local housing initiatives and ensure proper administrative oversight.
Despite calls for swift municipal action, other city leaders urged caution and emphasized the need to respect due process before making permanent decisions. Commissioner Ashley Troutman voiced strong resistance to an immediate suspension or ouster, arguing that elected leaders should avoid reacting prematurely to unproven claims while formal investigations are actively underway.
To reinforce his position, Troutman cited a past controversy involving Polk State College, where he served on the Board of Trustees. In that instance, former college president Angela Garcia Falconetti faced public scrutiny and an official inquiry over the use of scholarship funds to cover student fees, an investigation that ultimately cleared Falconetti of any legal violations or policy breaches.
City Attorney Palmer Davis addressed the legal mechanisms required to remove an appointed board member under Florida law. Davis explained that an official cannot be ousted without documented charges specifying ineffectiveness, neglect of duty, or official misconduct. Furthermore, the accused official must be granted a minimum 10-day notice along with an opportunity to respond to the allegations in a formal due process hearing.
Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley noted that she could not recall a precedent during her tenure as commissioner or mayor where the city removed a sitting board member. Consequently, she instructed the commission to coordinate closely with the city attorney’s office to evaluate proper legal protocols and indicated her intention to communicate directly with Campbell-Domineck regarding the situation.
From an ethical perspective, Roberts McCarley stated that if she were facing joint inquiries from the state of Florida and the county commission, she would voluntarily step aside from public board duties to protect institutional integrity. Her viewpoint on voluntary recusal was echoed by Commissioners Mike Musick and LaLonde.
The controversy surrounding Campbell-Domineck arrives at a time when the Lakeland Housing Authority is already dealing with intense public scrutiny. For over a year, area residents and agency staff members have brought forward complaints regarding questionable record-keeping practices, inadequate organizational governance, and alleged favoritism in housing placements.
Community advocates, including Harlem Turner and Michael Joseph, have repeatedly attended city meetings to urge municipal leaders to examine the operational conduct of the housing authority. Residents have voiced ongoing worries regarding unfair terminations of housing assistance and a broader lack of accountability in the agency's daily operations.
In response to persistent community outcry, Commissioner LaLonde previously called for an independent third-party audit and a full public disclosure of all housing authority records on Aug. 28, 2025. The move was intended to provide transparency and verify whether municipal housing resources are being administered fairly.
Lakeland Housing Authority Executive Director Ben Stevenson has maintained that he never received LaLonde's formal request for an audit, though he stated publicly that he does not fear an impartial inquiry. Stevenson has denied allegations of misconduct, while acknowledging that certain housing authority employees are related to him, clarifying that those individuals work under established degrees of separation and do not report directly to his office.
To address the community's concerns and assess the performance of the agency, Mayor Roberts McCarley has directed each city commissioner to hold individual private meetings with members of the Lakeland Housing Authority’s board of directors as the city considers its next administrative steps.
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