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Watch: College Park City Council votes to censure mayor in heated meeting

Watch: College Park City Council votes to censure mayor in heated meeting

The College Park City Council met during a special called meeting to vote on censuring Mayor Bianca Motley Broom on Aug. 9, 2024.

The College Park City Council has censured Mayor Bianca Motley Broom following a disagreement during a regular meeting on Monday. The unanimous vote was made during a special meeting on Friday evening.

“Welcome to a special called meeting of the mayor…oop, I’m sorry, of the City Council of the city of College Park. I’m Mayor Bianca Motley Broom,” the mayor began the meeting.

The specially called meeting and the proposed censure stem from an exchange during Monday’s regular meeting. During this meeting, the mayor raised a legal concern regarding some agenda items because there had not been a meeting in July.

The mayor started the meeting by explaining the city’s laws on censorship as well as the censorship process under the Georgia statute. She reminded the council that, in all instances, there are steps for due process.

“It didn’t end up on the agenda by magic,” the mayor inquired. “Who wants to take credit for it?”

The acting clerk referred the matter to the city lawyer, who also did not give a response.

“I have a right to ask that question and I have a right to respond,” the mayor again stated.

“I believe everyone up on this dais, with the exception of myself, have reached a consensus that this needs to be done if we’re going to have functioning meetings,” Councilman Joe Carn said.

After minutes of the official in attendance calling for her to ‘move along,’ the mayor called a vote on the agenda and then called upon the College Park Police chief to offer a warning about outbursts to those in attendance. “”There will be no warnings this evening,” the chief said.

Many in the crowd were standing wearing shirts which read “censor this” and “United College Park.” Some members of the gallery had their backs turned to the council.

The clerk then took six minutes to read the resolution to censure. The full text of the resolution could not be found on the city’s website.

Immediately after, a man in the crowd began yelling at the council that it was “horse s—.” He was quickly met with cheers and by the police, who escorted him from the meeting room. A call to clear the room was given, which the mayor immediately shot down.

The livestream of the meeting was then cut, but FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo was inside the room as the police removed those in the gallery.

The livestream returned about 8 minutes later with a unanimous vote following.

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