TAMPA, Fla. — In a 4-3 decision, Tampa City Council members elected District 1 at-large Councilmember Joseph Citro as their new chairperson Thursday following a vacancy that has lasted more than a month.
Council members met at 9 a.m. for their regularly-scheduled meeting. According to the meeting's agenda, the council held several officers' elections, including one for chair and chair pro-tem.
Following Citro's election, council members voted to elect District 6 member Guido Maniscalco as chair pro-tem.
The chair position had been left unfilled since March 30 when then-Chairman Orlando Gudes stepped down from leadership amid allegations of sexual harassment.
Gudes is still a member of the city council and his attorneys have denied the allegations made against him. An independent law firm hired by the city found the majority of the 19 sexual harassment allegations "more likely than not have occurred."
When Gudes made the motion to step down from his leadership role, he proposed Maniscalco be elected chair. Maniscalco served as chair prior to Gudes.
The controversy surrounding Gudes was the second in recent months involving a Tampa City Council member.
John Dingfelder resigned from the council on March 14 after a lawsuit called his handling of a public record request into question. Dingfelder's resignation was part of a settlement agreement filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court.
On April 7, Lynn Hurtak was sworn in as an interim Tampa City Council member during the remainder of the term. She is currently the only woman serving on the council. She has said she intends to run for the same city council seat after this term ends.