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Councilor Olivia DeFrancesco skips meeting citing safety concerns after exchange with resident Asa Davis
Summary
Councilor Olivia DeFrancesco sent a message saying she will not attend the Aug. 5 meeting because she fears for her safety following an aggressive encounter with resident Asa Davis at a July council meeting; Davis disputed her account and raised separate allegations about building‑permit fees and potential illegal collections.
Councilor Olivia DeFrancesco did not attend the Aug. 5 meeting but had a message read into the record in which she said an encounter at the council table on July 29 left her feeling unsafe. The letter, read by a colleague, said Asa Davis "demoralized us and other Exeter employees with his derogatory comments and false accusations" and described an episode in which Davis "approached the council table in an aggressive manner" and behaved in a way she characterized as "disruptive, threatening" and outside meeting decorum.
The reader said DeFrancesco expects the council president to address the conduct and "put measures in place for the safety of Exeter's town council, town employees, and citizens." The letter added, "The First Amendment is not a shield for this type of behavior." DeFrancesco concluded the message by saying she would not attend the Aug. 5 meeting and asked the council to consider a designated point person to handle interactions with the individual in question.
Asa Davis spoke during public comment and disputed DeFrancesco's description, saying he "disagrees with Olivia's version of events" and looked forward to seeing video. Davis pivoted to broader allegations about town permitting and finance, asserting that inspectors had not updated a permit‑fee multiplier required by ordinance and claiming the town had "collected more than $700k in illegal fees" over recent years; he also referenced ongoing investigations and whistleblower activity.
Councilors did not take disciplinary or enforcement action on the floor during the meeting. Multiple councilors acknowledged the seriousness of the safety and civility concerns raised and signaled they would review the matter further. The clerk and others noted that related ethics complaints and public‑records (APRA) requests are on file and are being handled through appropriate processes.
Next steps: Councilors asked staff to review the incident and the appropriate follow‑up procedures for both conduct at meetings and any related APRA/ethics matters; no formal vote or sanction occurred at the Aug. 5 meeting.
