North Miami Beach City Attorney Hans Ottinot Resigns

Hans Ottinot, the embattled North Miami Beach city attorney, has resigned in advance of next week's commission meeting.

It's no secret that Mayor Anthony DeFillipo has wanted to remove Ottinot and the only thing preventing him from doing so is the lack of quorum that has plagued North Miami Beach Commission meetings since three commissioners started boycotting meetings over the mayor's questionable residency status.

Ottinot has been leading legal efforts to have DeFillipo removed as mayor for allegedly living in Davie instead of North Miami Beach, which the mayor has vehemently denied. In a recently filed deposition, DeFillipo claims that only his wife and children live in Davie due to marital problems, although he visits as much as possible and takes his children to Broward County schools.

A judges recent decision ordering commissioners Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond and Daniela Jean to appear at the March 21 meeting would give DeFillipo the quorum he needs to fire Ottinot because commissioners Jay Chernoff, Fortuna Smukler and Phyllis Smith are in the mayor's corner.

Ottinot's four-page resignation letter details what he's achieved as city attorney and asserts his attempts to remove DeFillipo are in accordance with the city charter.

A trial date to determine the mayor's residency has not been set.