(SURFSIDE, FLA) — The former mayor of Surfside wants to know why the town manager, assistant town manager and police chief all suddenly resigned this week within 24 hours.
Town manager Andy Hyatt, who has been Surfside’s top administrator since November 2020, resigned late Tuesday, effective immediately. Assistant town manager and chief financial officer Jason Greene also resigned Wednesday, along with police chief Rogelio Torres.

Former Mayor Charles Burkett believes the three were forced out, and he also believes town commissioners discussed the resignations behind closed doors before they were announced. He has filed an ethics complaint with the county to find out more. Burkett calls this a Sunshine Act violation.
Why does it matter? In the span of 24 hours, Surfside, a town of 5,600 people that saw 98 people die in the Champlain Towers South collapse last year, is suddenly left dealing with the departure of the officials in charge of day-to-day operations.

The town has given no explanation about the timing of the resignations or whether they are related, leading one Surfside commissioner to question whether the officials were forced out of their jobs.