Trayvon Martin Fallout: Sanford, Fla. commission rejects police chief Bill Lee's resignation

(CBS/AP/WKMG) SANFORD, Fla. - The Sanford City Commission voted down a resolution that would have accepted the resignation of Police Chief Bill Lee Jr., on Monday. Lee had temporarily stepped down from his position in the aftermath of the Trayvon Martin shooting.

Pictures: George Zimmerman charged with murder

The commission voted 3-2 against the resolution, which would have allowed City Manager Norton Bonaparte to execute the separation agreement for Lee.

Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett called a special meeting with city commissioners Monday afternoon to address the resolution. Lee would have resigned from his post, effective at midnight, according to the release.

Commissioner Patty Mahan said she wouldn't accept the agreement because it was "hastily put together" and said she wasn't notified of the special meeting until 11:30 a.m. Monday. Mahan said she was devastated by the treatment of Lee, calling him one of "the finest police officers" in the community.

"This is a man who is a medal of valor winner," Mahan said. "I am physically sick over these proceedings and treatment of Chief Lee. What did the chief do wrong?"

Mahan said that both Lee and other commissioners are also enduring allegations of being racists.

"He's paying for the sins of past police chiefs," Mahan said. "We are a great city with a great police department. We can't do this to a 52-year-old man with 30 years law enforcement experience with a family with little children. We can't do it."

Commissioner Randy Jones, who also voted against the resolution, said Lee answered honestly at a news conference about the Trayvon Martin case, and said it "may have been a bad one" but shouldn't result in him resigning.

Jones also said that the Sanford community members aren't the ones who escalated the investigation. Jones said the next outsider who comes to Sanford to get attention, "needs to be shown the finger and shown the door."

Bonaparte said the commission could reverse its earlier no-confidence vote taken before Lee temporarily stepped down March 22, but Mayor Triplett said he wasn't ready for Lee to take his position back because he wants outside groups to investigate the case.

Lee temporarily stepped down following public outcry over the fatal shooting of  the17-year-old Martin by neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman.

Capt. Darren Scott has been serving as acting police chief and will continue serving as police chief while the city of Sanford continues the search for an interim police chief.

"I am confident that Acting Chief Scott will continue to provide the leadership necessary to keep this agency functioning at the highest level and protect the citizens of the City of Sanford," said the city manager, Bonaparte, in a release. "The City has experienced great turmoil in the past two months and we are hoping to stabilize the department and continue with this time of healing."

The city of Sanford is working with consultants from the Police Executive Research firm to find a new police chief. Bonaparte said replacement candidates will be ready by early next week

Zimmerman on Monday bonded out of jail after being charged with second-degree murder in Martin's death. Zimmerman's arrest came more than a month after the Feb. 26 shooting.

Complete coverage of the Trayvon Martin case on CBS News