A local workforce administrator who was recently suspended from her administrative role will retain her municipal seat on the Lakeland Housing Authority board of directors for the time being. Lakeland city commissioners met to evaluate whether Stacy Campbell-Domineck should be temporarily suspended or officially ousted from the appointed housing panel amid ongoing state-level scrutiny.
The municipal debate follows disciplinary action initiated by the Polk County Commission, which oversees the regional workforce development entity CareerSource Polk. On Sept. 1, 2026, county commissioners decided to temporarily relieve Campbell-Domineck from her post as executive director without pay after state authorities raised significant concerns regarding her administration.
State regulatory bodies, specifically Florida Commerce and CareerSource Florida, presented serious findings on Aug. 25, 2026, regarding Campbell-Domineck's fiscal oversight and operational leadership. The state agencies cited questionable financial management, the possible unauthorized spending of public funds, and alleged instances of outright deception within CareerSource Polk.
During the Lakeland City Commission meeting on Sept. 8, Commissioner Guy LaLonde raised these findings directly to his colleagues. LaLonde highlighted that the state’s accusations were severe and argued that Campbell-Domineck’s continued participation on the municipal board poses a significant risk to the governance of local public housing initiatives.
Campbell-Domineck was originally selected to serve on the Lakeland Housing Authority’s board of directors in December 2024. Under standard city procedures, board members are appointed directly by the mayor and typically carry out four-year terms providing oversight to the housing agency.
Emphasizing the importance of civic trust, LaLonde stated that allowing Campbell-Domineck to remain in her seat while under active scrutiny damages the reputation of the city. He argued that the ongoing investigations undermine the public's faith in the housing authority's leadership and its ability to govern effectively.
However, other members of the commission expressed hesitation about acting prematurely before formal investigations conclude. Commissioner Ashley Troutman voiced strong disagreement with moving quickly to suspend or remove Campbell-Domineck, urging fellow officials to exercise patience and permit the established investigative procedures to run their full course.
To support his position, Troutman cited his prior service on the Board of Trustees at Polk State College. During that time, former college president Angela Garcia Falconetti faced an official inquiry over the use of scholarship resources for student fees, an investigation that ultimately cleared her of any violation of state laws or institutional regulations.
City Attorney Palmer Davis provided legal clarity regarding the mechanisms required to dismiss an appointed housing authority member. Davis explained that under Florida law, an official removal cannot occur without formal charges alleging neglect of duty, ineffectiveness, or misconduct in office, alongside a guaranteed 10-day notice that affords the individual an opportunity to respond.
Davis emphasized to the commission that any removal process mandates rigorous due process proceedings. Without formal charges substantiated under statutory standards, the city cannot arbitrarily terminate an appointed member's term on the housing authority board.
Mayor Sara Roberts McCarley noted that she could not recall an instance during her tenure as commissioner or mayor where a seated board member was forcibly removed. In response to the discussion, she instructed the commission to coordinate with the city attorney's office to outline the legal framework for potential future actions and indicated she would contact Campbell-Domineck directly.
Despite the procedural limits, Mayor Roberts McCarley stated that from an ethical and perceptual perspective, she would personally choose to step aside if placed under simultaneous review by state regulators and county commissioners. Her call for voluntary recusal was publicly endorsed by Commissioners Mike Musick and LaLonde.
The controversy surrounding Campbell-Domineck’s seat surfaces at a time when the Lakeland Housing Authority is already contending with widespread community criticism. For over a year, municipal residents and agency workers have expressed grievances regarding administrative oversight, record-keeping inconsistencies, and alleged favoritism in housing assignments.
Community advocates, including Harlem Turner and Michael Joseph, have frequently attended commission meetings to demand greater scrutiny of the housing agency and its leadership. In August 2025, Commissioner LaLonde formally called for a third-party independent audit and the public disclosure of housing authority records to address claims of improper assistance terminations.
In response to the long-standing complaints, Lakeland Housing Authority Executive Director Ben Stevenson has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing and stated he does not fear an impartial audit. While Stevenson previously acknowledged that certain agency employees are related to him, he maintained that operational degrees of separation exist and that none of his relatives report to him directly.
To address ongoing community apprehension, Mayor Roberts McCarley previously directed each city commissioner to hold one-on-one private conferences with members of the housing authority's governing board, seeking greater insight into the agency's administration as city leaders continue to monitor Campbell-Domineck's status.
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