FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida town manager who married a porn star last year was fired at an emergency meeting after the mayor and council members learned about it.
Fort Myers Beach town council voted 5-0 to fire Scott Janke "without cause" after Mayor Larry Kiker called the Tuesday night meeting.
Kiker told the News-Press of Fort Myers he learned Tuesday afternoon that Janke's wife is an adult film star, and the elected officials took the action a few hours later.
"We did everything we could not to judge," Kiker told the paper.
"It's not about him and her," the mayor added. "It's about the town."
He said he considers Janke and his wife friends. Kiker said a clause in Janke's contract permitted the council to fire him with a majority vote.
Janke said the mayor called him before Tuesday's meeting, but didn't invite him to attend. He said called after the meeting to tell him the outcome, and Janke said he hasn't heard from the mayor or any council member since.
"Our heads are held high," Janke told The Associated Press. "We have nothing to be embarrassed about. We've done nothing wrong."
Janke will get a severance package worth six months salary, which comes out to about $50,000, plus health benefits.
Adult Industry News recently reported that Janke's wife, Anabela Mota Janke, is involved in the adult entertainment industry under the stage name Jazella Moore.
Janke said he and his wife, who married in October, are taking care of their three teenage children. He wouldn't comment on any possible legal action.
Kiker acknowledged that Janke had violated no rules or laws and added that he had done a good job for the town. But the mayor was concerned whether Janke could remain effective at his position.
"We had to decide what was in the best interest of the town," Kiker told the News-Press. "We have a lot of major projects in front of us, and we needed to make sure that we move forward."
Kiker did not immediately return a call Wednesday from the AP.
Janke wouldn't say whether he's considering legal action against the town. He said it's too early to think about what's next in his career, but he's concerned the firing might affect job opportunities.
"A termination on a resume does not look good, no matter what the reason," Janke said.
Janke began working for Fort Myers Beach in March 2008. He has also worked for the City of Marathon in the Keys and had worked for various local governments throughout Alaska since 1989.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090722/..._manager_fired
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