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Residents press council over recall filings, exposed body at crime scene and meeting times
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to address alleged irregularities in a local recall campaign, to adopt a policy requiring body barriers at scenes with deceased persons, and to move meetings to evening hours; staff agreed to review materials and return with options.
Several residents used the public comment period to press the Lancaster City Council on three recurring concerns: alleged improper handling of documents in a local recall campaign, an incident where a deceased person’s body was visible to neighbors for many hours, and the council’s daytime meeting time.
Aubrey McPherson said she and others had been harmed by inaccurate recall filings and litigation and urged the city to consider crafting a local ordinance or policy to protect residents from misleading or harmful recall practices. “I have been slandered. I have been harassed,” McPherson said, and she asked the council to place the matter on a future agenda. McPherson also said a neighbor was found shot and “her body was left out for 15 hours” and called for a policy to ensure body barriers are erected at scenes when appropriate to shield grieving family and neighbors.
Mark Maldonado, representing the Lancaster Freedom Coalition, and other speakers asked that more meetings be scheduled at 5 p.m. to permit working residents to attend. Several speakers echoed concerns about comments reportedly made by the mayor at prior meetings, including statements calling for bringing National Guard troops to the city or discussing illicit distribution of fentanyl; multiple speakers said they opposed such proposals and asked the council to repel any action that would place military personnel on city streets or encourage unlawful measures.
City staff responded during public comment: a staff member said she would review McPherson’s materials and bring back recommendations. The council noted that Lancaster operates under a strong‑mayor system and that two 5 p.m. meetings are scheduled annually (in March and December) to accommodate evening attendees; council members also said they would seek demographic and crime‑statistic information requested by speakers.
Speakers asked for specific follow‑up: clarification of recall procedures, consideration of an ordinance or policy on crime‑scene shielding, and review of meeting times to improve public access. Staff and the city clerk accepted speaker materials and agreed to return with information or draft proposals as appropriate.
