The Setup Game: Part 2- Slide in Ilczyszyn...
- Kyle L'Hommedieu
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Cape Coral’s “Master of Transparency,” Michael Ilczyszyn...
If you’ve ever wondered what government would look like if it operated like a private club, just look at Cape Coral under City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn. Doors closed, meetings hidden, and the public left with just enough crumbs to keep them guessing.
In Cape Coral, “transparency” isn’t a policy, it’s a punchline. City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn has turned public service into a private club, where decisions are made behind closed doors and residents are left holding the bill without ever seeing the receipt.
Under his watch, trust between City Hall and the community hasn’t just eroded, it’s been bulldozed. Questionable spending? Check! Priorities so out of touch you’d think they were set in another time zone? Double check!
Here, it’s not about the people who live in Cape Coral; it’s about the people who control it. And spoiler alert: that’s not you!
Cape Coral isn’t being managed for its residents. It’s being managed for the comfort and convenience of those in power. And they’re not even subtle about it anymore.
Behind closed doors: the rise of Michael Ilczyszyn
On February 1, 2023, council members publicly promised a professional search firm would be hired after ending Hernandez's contract. But spoiler alert: no firm, no search, no problem apparently. As Bill Steinke put it: "There aren't 350 million City Managers out there." Which makes it even more curious that they didn’t bother trying to find even one.
If the plan was to get rid of Hernandez and install their preferred pick all along, why go through the performance of promising a search?
Oh, you didn’t get a 10.25% raise and a 69.2% upgrade to your vehicle allowance to $1000 a month in 2024? Weird! More shocking, now in 2025, he is making about $350,000 a year. How does your pay stack up?
John Gunter: proving every day that being a ‘good steward’ of our tax dollars means spending them like they’re Monopoly money. Why did Mayor Gunter give Michael Ilczyszyn an extra 1% on his raise in 2024 on top of a 9.25% increase and then nearly double his car allowance? Was it performance? Loyalty? Or just politics as usual at Cape Coral City Hall?
Because while residents deal with rising costs and tight budgets, the City Manager’s perks just keep piling up with the Mayor’s blessing.
In Cape Coral, It Seems Domestic Violence Isn’t a Red Flag, It’s a Résumé Booster!
In late December 2017, while serving as Cape Coral’s Assistant City Manager, he was placed on paid administrative leave due to a domestic violence investigation. However, there was no arrest, and the State Attorney's Office ultimately decided on "no further action", meaning no criminal charges were filed. Why? He told his then-wife not to meet with the investigators, and she was afraid, so she refused to. 'She should have spoken up, but she was scared for her safety and her children’s future,' said a source inside the city. And the worst part? While all of this unfolded, he got to stay on his personal, taxpayer-funded vacation… fishing 🙄.
The case did proceed through an administrative investigation initially focused on the domestic violence allegation and later expanded to include other conduct concerns, but he was not arrested at any point in that process.
He even went to another jurisdiction to report the assault when the husband of the employee he was having an affair with punched him in the face (oh, how old school). Ilczyszyn, you didn't know that a police department in another county does not have jurisdiction?
While on administrative leave, Ilczyszyn was paid nearly $53,000 and to top it off, we paid $600 for his Cellphone stipend. In our city, a stipend is basically a polite way of saying, “Here’s some extra taxpayer money, no questions asked.” It’s sold as covering “expenses", you know, for important things like travel, meetings, or “community engagement”, but somehow it always seems to land in the same place: the official’s bank account.
Need a car? Here’s a vehicle stipend, even if you already have a city car. Need a phone? Here’s a Cell Phone stipend. Need to “develop professionally”? Here’s a training stipend, even if you’re not taking a single course.
Best part? These stipends can stack like pancakes. One for this, one for that, and suddenly an “it’s only $200 a month” turns into thousands a year.
Business as Usual: Unethical Behavior Thrives in the Shadows of City Hall.
The information below came to light during the investigation into Michael Ilczyszyn an investigation sparked by domestic violence and a city employee who bravely brought forward these allegations. And let’s be clear: we don’t believe for a second that she made any of this up. We highlighted the 'you-can’t-make-this-up' moments, you're welcome! (click to expand)
Nearly $30,000 of taxpayer money for an investigation, only to ignore the new issues it uncovered. Money well spent, right?
You can download and read the full investigation report here.
The City Would Like Its Lunch Money Back, All $3,607.46 of It!
Based on these findings, you are required to repay the City for the period in which you were paid daily for a 30 minute non-work (meal) period. The estimated repayment for your paid, non-worked lunches is $3,607.46
Only in Cape Coral: A ‘Last Chance’ Turns Into a City Manager Job Offer.
How did Mike get a last-chance letter… and then become City Manager?
Most people get written up and worry about keeping their job. But in Cape Coral, Michael Ilczyszyn got a last-chance disciplinary letter and somehow climbed all the way to the top job at City Hall. No national search. No accountability. Just a quiet promotion.
If this is what “leadership” looks like, residents deserve answers.
The Corruption Engine: A Plague Upon the People
In 2018, Cape Coral’s second-highest-ranking administrator, Michael Ilczyszyn, was demoted for “actions or conduct detrimental to the interest of the city.” The demotion followed a brief extramarital affair with a married department manager that led to workplace consequences.
According to a report by Sproat Workplace Investigations, submitted to the city, Ilczyszyn also violated department rules by attempting to order an upgraded city vehicle that exceeded both the approved budget and purchasing parameters.
“The city manager was not comfortable putting him at that level,” said city spokesperson Connie Barron at the time. Instead, at the request of the city manager, the Council approved a newly created position to reassign Ilczyszyn.
While no formal complaints were filed, multiple city employees expressed concerns about possible policy violations, the report notes.
The investigation also referenced a domestic violence incident involving Ilczyszyn and his wife on December 2, 2017, which occurred in the aftermath of the affair. The report concluded that Ilczyszyn’s conduct had broader consequences beyond financial harm, stating:
“Ilczyszyn’s actions… adversely affected business operations in the City Manager’s Office. Rather than foster organizational integrity, his conduct may have eroded the public trust in City management and damaged the City’s reputation.”
The investigation cost $29,960, not including staff time for the 17 employees interviewed. Meanwhile, Ilczyszyn was paid nearly $53,000 in leave time while on administrative leave from December 7 to May 14.
🤔These are the “qualifications” for the city manager of Southwest Florida’s largest city? If this is the best we can do, no wonder Cape Coral is drowning in bad decisions. The bar isn’t low, it’s buried.
Michael Ilczyszyn has built a long-standing career in Cape Coral’s municipal government:
Early Beginnings: He started with the city in 2002 as a water treatment plant operator and steadily rose through roles, becoming a business manager in Public Works, then moving into the City Manager’s office to oversee special projects. He also served as assistant city manager, where he managed departments like City Clerk, Finance, HR, IT, and utility extension projects.
Demotion and Return: In 2018, Ilczyszyn faced a demotion to senior Public Works manager due to an investigation concerning a personal conduct issue and a budgeting infraction. His salary was reduced to about $112,500 as part of a disciplinary agreement.
Public Works Director: He later served as the Public Works Director, overseeing the city’s transportation, stormwater, and environmental resource departments through 2022.
City Manager: In February 2023, Ilczyszyn was appointed interim City Manager. Later that year, the City Council made it official, awarding him a four‑year contract with a salary of approximately $285,000 per year.
Background & Education: He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies (Magna Cum Laude) and a Master’s in Public Administration, both from Florida Gulf Coast University. Additionally, he's a U.S. Navy veteran, having served aboard the USS Yorktown.
You can read The Setup Game Part 1- City Manager Hernandez in the Crosshairs? HERE
All information has been thoroughly investigated and reported by the Take Out the Trash Committee of Cape Coral and/or its authorized volunteers!