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Mount Vernon council removes censure item after mayor apologizes for charged remarks
Summary
Mayor Peter Donovan apologized to the council and community for recent public comments that some council members said undermined trust; the council voted to remove a proposed censure item from the July 8 agenda and proceeded with the rest of the meeting.
Mayor Peter Donovan addressed the Mount Vernon City Council on Wednesday night and apologized for recent public remarks as council members debated whether to proceed with a proposed censure.
Donovan told the council he regretted using "descriptive language" in public statements and said he would exercise greater discretion going forward. "I apologize for any role that my words have had to play in creating the type of drama that we are all trying to avoid here," he said, adding he intended to focus on collaborating with the council and serving the city's interests.
The mayor framed the dispute around a section of local code, citing Mount Vernon Municipal Code 2.12.080(b)(2) — the provision the censure request referenced — and said the rule governs debate during council meetings rather than a member's speech outside council chambers. "It doesn't have anything to do with our personal First Amendment rights outside of city council chambers," he said.
Council members responded during a period of discussion after the motion to approve the night's agenda was amended to strike Item B, the censure proposal. Several council members urged moving past the dispute and rebuilding trust. Council member Melissa Beaton said she accepted the mayor's apology and called for professionalism and collaboration; another council member said a censure vote "would not be constructive." Council member Randy West argued a vote to censure would be about abiding by municipal codes and the council's oath rather than personal animosity.
After discussion the council held a roll-call vote on the motion to approve the agenda with Item B removed. The clerk recorded the vote as one "no" (Council member West) and six "ayes," and the mayor announced the motion passed.
The meeting moved on to a lengthy public-comment period and then routine business. Donovan closed the public portion of his remarks by committing "to continue to look for ways to work collaboratively with this city council and to serve the interests of the entire community in the City of Mount Vernon." The council later approved Resolution 11-05 to reestablish a citizen advisory committee; it also recessed to an executive session to discuss collective-bargaining strategy.
What happens next: With Item B removed, the council did not take formal censure action during the July 8 meeting. The council also signaled plans to review agenda procedures and to provide more information to the public about committee meetings and selections for advisory committees.
