PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — The mayor of Pembroke Park walked out of a special town meeting Friday without taking questions after fellow commissioners voted to have Commissioner William Hodgkins run the meeting instead.

In a recorded vote, commissioners approved handing the gavel to Hodgkins for the remainder of the meeting.

The move comes 10 days after a Broward County judge ruled town commissioners cannot remove Mayor Geoffrey Jacobs from office.

The ruling followed an investigation by Local 10 New’s Jeff Weinsier that revealed Jacobs claims a primary residence more than 100 miles away in Fort Pierce.

Pembroke Park’s town charter states that the mayor must maintain legal residency within the town.

As the residency issue plays out in court, commissioners said they are trying to avoid putting the town at legal risk.

“We’re not sure that he’s actually a legal mayor and we don’t want to put ourselves in jeopardy by making decisions and letting him make decisions,” Hodgkins said. “We’re not sure whether they’re going to be legal decisions and we have to pull them back later.”

Several items Jacobs had placed on the agenda were tabled during the meeting.

Hodgkins said the decision to table them was about protecting the town.

“It’s from protecting the town from passing stuff and having to go back and revisit and maybe take it away. It can cause us a lot of headaches,” he said.

Residents also voiced concern about the turmoil at Town Hall.

“I don’t know what the hell y’all got going on as a whole. This is ridiculous. Passing gavels. Want control. Y’all got to do better,” resident Cheryl Robinson said.

Hodgkins said town business will continue despite the controversy.

“It doesn’t involve the commission. It doesn’t involve anybody in the town. This is a decision made by Mr. Jacobs to move 100 miles out of town. He’s going to let the chips fall where they may,” he said.

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