Council Meeting, August 13, 2024

Throughout the drama of the call for my removal as Mayor, I always knew what the facts were. I made a personal and private mistake that was revealed in a very public and humiliating way, affecting not only me but my wife. I took responsibility and apologized for my actions as well as sought forgiveness from God, family and friends. However, some people, including some on this Council, continue to try to wrongfully connect my private indiscretion to a misuse of public funds and alleged criminal conduct.

Let’s be clear, once the investigations and thorough audits were completed—even though, by then, I had already been punished with an unjustified ethics reprimand—there was no evidence that I committed any crime, nor any evidence I caused or condoned any public funds to be improperly spent. All I did was resist an unlawful invasion into my constitutional right of privacy. That is why I have fought these unwarranted malicious attacks on me, on my right of privacy, and on the Office of the Mayor. There has been in excess of $137,000 of public funds spent on investigations, audits, and legal fees on embarrassing and attacking me. For perspective, that is an amount of money roughly equivalent to our entire Community Partners budget. Should this infighting continue, more City resources, money and time, will be expended. I’m extending my hand, and humbly asking that this stop.

Regardless of whether the signers of the recall petition were misled or intimidated into signing the Petition, I do recognize that over 1600 signatures were gathered. That has my attention, and I have some work to do to restore their faith. That said, it is time for all of us on the Council to “reach across the aisle” and strive for the better and more productive work this Council can do. We, as a Body, need to quit burdening our staff, administrative and legal, with work that does not move our City forward in a more productive manner.

To my colleagues, I am asking for your assistance to cease these recall efforts now that the truth is known that I have not committed any unlawful acts or done anything deserving of removal from office. If you will stop the attacks, I will gladly end my plans to fight back, in court if necessary, to hold all those accountable who have gone over the line of free speech and have defamed me, maliciously. We, as the legislative body and titular heads of this great City, can, instead, focus on matters of real interest to our constituents and serve them in a more productive manner if we, here and now, start working better together anew. I humbly and sincerely ask you to join me.