Manatee County Code Enforcement Chief Tom Wooten was formally terminated on Sept. 16, according to public records obtained by TBT. Less than a week later, the county announced in an internal email that it had accepted Wooten's voluntary demotion and transfer to a position within Manatee County Animal Welfare.
It has been nearly four weeks since TBT first reported Wooten's departure. Although a departmental email dated Sept. 16 announced that the employment of the nearly 19-year county employee had “ended” earlier that same day, the county declined to comment on the nature of his separation.
Newly obtained records reviewed by TBT show that Development Services Director Nicole Knapp and Human Resources Director Kate Rucker hand-delivered a letter formally notifying Wooten of his termination on Sept. 16.
The letter, titled “Notice of Termination,” stated that Manatee County Government's Development Services Department was ending Wooten's employment in accordance with Section XI.A.3 of the Manatee County Personnel Policy, Rules, and Procedures Manual.
“Therefore, effective Sept. 16, 2026, your employment with Manatee County Government has ended,” the letter said.
The letter instructed Wooten to contact his supervisor to submit his final timesheet, return county property, and retrieve his personal items from his office.
But less than a week later, an internal email penned by HR Director Rucker informed county commissioners and other county leadership that the county had “accepted a voluntary demotion” from Wooten, along with a transfer to Animal Care within Manatee County's Animal Welfare Division (MCAW).
The unusual sequence of events led to Wooten being removed from county government shortly before returning to county employment and accepting an annual salary about half of what he had earned in his prior role.
While the newly obtained records confirm Wooten's termination from his former position, they don't provide a detailed explanation for the circumstances surrounding the termination or his subsequent acceptance of a demotion.
Discharged then Demoted
Wooten’s termination letter provided instructions for his departure but did not state an explicit reason for his termination. It did, however, cite the Manatee County Personnel Policy, Rules, and Procedures Manual.
Section XI of the manual addresses ‘Discipline and Discharge.’ Part A, subsection 3, states that probationary and temporary employees, employees of the County Attorney's Office, and other employees designated as serving at the will of the County Administrator “do not possess a property interest in their positions” and may be discharged without cause.
The provision also states that those employees generally are not entitled to recourse in the event of discipline or discharge, within specified exceptions, including provisions for addressing allegations of illegal discrimination.
Although the termination letter cites the provision, it does not identify which employee classification applied to Wooten or provide further details about the decision.
The electronic copy of the termination letter provided to TBT in response to its public records request was produced as a PDF file named “9-16-26 At-Will-Separation-Redacted," suggestive of his employment status under county policy.
Internal action requests recorded in the county's NEOGov system—the HR software used to manage employee onboarding and offboarding—show that the county initiated the offboarding process after Wooten's termination on Sept. 16. The process included removing his access to county email and fuel services.
Four business days later, on Sept. 22, action was initiated in NEOGov to complete Wooten's onboarding, effectively restoring him to active employee status in the county's system. NEOGov records show the Department of Community and Veteran Services, where the MCAW division is housed, directed the onboarding.
The combined records TBT reviewed establish that Wooten's employment as Code Enforcement Chief ended with a termination on Sept. 16, and he was returned to county employment less than five business days later—in a new role, within a new department and division.
It remains unclear what arrangement led to Wooten's return or what circumstances led to the change in his status.
A new role for less pay
Wooten's new position with Manatee County Government is Animal Care Specialist III, the highest classification in the division’s Animal Care Specialist role.
MCAW employs three levels of Animal Care Specialists, with Level I representing the entry-level classification and Level III the top tier. County records show that MCAW currently employs eight Level I specialists, eight Level II specialists, and six Level III specialists—including Wooten.
The county's published job description for Animal Care Specialist III describes a position focused on animal care, shelter operations, and customer service.
Listed duties and essential functions include assisting with adoptions, greeting visitors, and providing non-judgmental customer service to volunteers, adopters, and partners. The role requires providing routine and special care for animals, coordinating socialization and enrichment activities, monitoring animal behavior, and implementing specific behavior management plans.
Additionally, the level III position supports foster operations, manages front-desk administration, maintains database records, and ensures shelter facilities are clean and safe. The employee will also support kennel operations, help supervise and train staff, and respond to emergencies, including during extreme weather, in the Emergency Operations Center, or in pet-friendly shelters.
The job description states that its minimum qualifications include a high school diploma or equivalent, a strong desire to work with animals, a valid driver's license, and two years of experience as an Animal Care Specialist in a shelter environment.
Other key qualifications include a basic understanding of animal behavior—specifically the ability to handle behaviorally challenged, fearful, or aggressive animals—as well as a familiarity with common shelter illnesses, vaccine administration, and intake examinations.
The role requires strong customer service and professional communication skills, and candidates should demonstrate a willingness to become certified in euthanasia. In addition, the listing states that previous work or volunteer experience with an animal organization is required.
The full county job descriptions are available online at the links below:
At the time of his termination as Code Enforcement Chief, Wooten earned approximately $111,000 annually, with an equivalent of $53.63 per hour.
In his new position, his annual salary is approximately $56,000, or $26.84 per hour—resulting in a salary reduction of roughly 50%.
Despite being new to the Animal Care Specialist classification, Wooten will be the highest-paid employee in that position within MCAW, according to county employment records reviewed by TBT.
Wooten's county service dates back to November 2007, making him the longest-tenured employee among those currently serving at any level of MCAW Animal Care Specialist.
County previously declined comment
When TBT first reported Wooten's departure, the county declined to confirm whether the action was voluntary or involuntary, or whether any action had taken place at all.
In response to our email inquiry, county Communications Manager Casey Zempel wrote that “Manatee County does not comment on personnel matters involving current or former employees beyond information that is available through public records.”
Multiple sources independently told TBT they understood Wooten had been terminated. In its emailed response last month, the county also declined to acknowledge the allegation when specifically asked about it—neither denying nor confirming it.
Wooten's departure from the county’s Code Enforcement Division comes following years of leadership changes, organizational restructuring, and public scrutiny surrounding the division.
As TBT has previously reported, the division has faced scrutiny over allegations of favoritism in enforcement decisions, an Inspector General investigation that substantiated allegations of improper case handling, and subsequent allegations involving individual commissioner directives and possible political interference in enforcement matters.
Wooten, who joined the county in November 2007, served as a division supervisor before being named chief in 2024, after his predecessor, George McCorkle, was terminated. The division later underwent further organizational changes, including returning to the Department of Development Services in February 2026, roughly seven months before Wooten's termination.
The records obtained by TBT do not establish whether Wooten's termination was related to any of the previously reported controversies. Still, they show that the county formally terminated Wooten on Sept. 16, began removing his employee access, and later returned him to county employment in a different role at about half his former salary.
Dawn Kitterman is a staff reporter and investigative journalist for The Bradenton Times, covering local government news. She can be reached at dawn.kitterman@thebradentontimes.com.
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