Mayor Says Key West Should Move On From City Manager, Releases Serious City Hall Allegations

Newly elected Mayor Sam Kaufman has ramped up his dispute with City Manager Brian Barroso on Wednesday, saying the city should transition to new management.

He called for an independent investigation into Barroso's conduct, hiring, and decision-making practices at City Hall.

In documents provided to members of the press, including Palm and Prejudice, Kaufman also gave a detailed account of a September 1 confrontation inside the Mayor's Office.

In the statement, Kaufman alleges that Barroso interrupted a private meeting, ordered a senior city employee out of the room, closed the door, raised his voice and called Kaufman a “child” and a “coward.”

Kaufman goes on to say that Barroso also told him, “If you have the four votes, then terminate me,” and said an agreement reached just one day earlier to work together was “all out the window.”

Less than an hour later, Kaufman says, their standing weekly meetings were canceled.

Kaufman is now asking for an outside investigation into several additional matters. These include an allegation that Barroso encouraged individuals to enter the 2026 mayoral race, questions surrounding the hiring of an employee who may have been related to him, and previous communications in which Kaufman says Barroso accused him of criminal conduct and urged him to “self report.”

Those additional allegations have not been independently established, and Kaufman repeatedly says in the documents that disputed claims should be investigated rather than treated as fact.

City Manager Brian Barroso has been contacted for comment; this story will be updated with any response.