Jackie Espinosa remains Kissimmee mayor after arrest; succession process not invoked

Jackie Espinosa remains mayor of Kissimmee following her arrest Wednesday morning, with no suspension in place at the time of Channel 9’s reporting.The city charter outlines a process for the vice mayor to step in if the mayor is suspended. That process has not been invoked.The question of what comes next for city leadership follows Espinosa’s arrest on grand theft and organized scheme to defraud charges involving $50,000 in city grants awarded to family businesses.Who would take over if the mayor is suspended?Section 25 of Kissimmee’s city charter provides for the vice mayor to fill in if the mayor is suspended, according to Channel 9’s review.As of Wednesday afternoon, Espinosa had not been suspended and continued to hold the office.Channel 9’s Dave Jordan spent the day at City Hall asking questions about what comes next.Resident who sought records calls for resignationClaudia Zuco, who said she obtained documents about the grants through a public records request, called on Espinosa