Melbourne council issues verbal censure over alleged meeting threat; motion passes 5‑2

Vice Mayor David Newman moved on Tuesday to issue a verbal censure of appointed board member Yvonne Minas, saying he filed a police report after an incident at a prior council recess in which he said Minas twice told him, "I'm going to kill you." Newman told the council he later met with the Melbourne Police Department and that a detective recommended a request for prosecution under the statute transcribed in the record as "Florida State statute 8 3 6.122 a."

Council members debated whether a verbal censure, a written resolution seeking attorney‑general guidance, or no formal action was the appropriate response. Several members urged de‑escalation and noted procedural limits: council members said they did not seek removal from any boards and emphasized that the censure was framed as a statement of council disapproval rather than punishment. Mayor Alfrey said the council should "move on" while preserving a record of the panel's position.

Public speakers during the meeting included a number of residents who defended Minas' years of service and urged leniency; others said any threatening language was unacceptable. Rochelle Jolley, a longtime community volunteer, addressed the council in Minas' defense and said Minas had "a servant's heart."

On a formal roll call, council recorded the vote as: Bassett — Aye; Hanley — Nay; Kennedy — Aye; Smith — Nay; LaRusso — Aye; Vice Mayor Newman — Aye; Mayor Alfrey — Aye. The motion passed 5–2. The council recorded the verbal censure in the meeting minutes and did not remove Minas from any appointed boards.

The mayor and council emphasized that the action was intended to acknowledge the seriousness of threatening language while allowing Minas to continue serving on advisory bodies. The record shows the Melbourne Police Department investigated and submitted a request for prosecution; the state attorney’s office has, according to remarks read at the meeting, declined to pursue charges in the matter for lack of prosecutable evidence.

Next steps noted in the meeting: council members discussed the possibility of a public apology by Minas, referral to the Florida Attorney General for statutory interpretation, or other administrative options; none of those additional measures were adopted on Nov. 25. "I would be happy to talk to her," Newman said, offering an opportunity for reconciliation. The censure will appear in the official minutes as the council's formal statement of disapproval.