A vote urging Westbrook City Councilor Paul Emery to resign was seen as a necessary move by the rest of the council – even though Emery has no intentions of leaving.

The 6-1 vote Monday, with Emery opposed, was the council’s reaction to his comments made last week directed toward Gov. Paul LePage. Emery, at a Democratic gathering, said his feelings wouldn’t be hurt if LePage “goes to see his maker.” He then said, “In some countries assassination is a political strategy, but unfortunately not in ours.”

At the meeting Monday, Council Vice President Michael Foley read a prepared statement, saying the council “strongly urges Councilor Emery to examine whether his continued service on the City Council is in the community’s best interests.”

Emery, a Democrat, represents Ward 3. A real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway, he has said he has no intention of resigning before his term is up in November. Emery was elected to the City Council in 2009, and re-elected in 2012. Prior to the council, Emery served on the Westbrook Planning Board.

Emery did not comment publicly during the council meeting Monday, and on Tuesday, Emery told the American Journal, “I have said all I was going to say” about the incident.

In response to constituent comments Monday, Emery said Tuesday that it “is a wonderful country where we have First Amendment rights.”

On Tuesday, councilors said their support for the resolve was needed, but admitted it was new territory for them. Councilor John O’Hara said he’s never had to vote on any action against a fellow councilor in his 18 years on the council.

“This is the first time in my tenure that we’ve had to even look at disciplining a councilor for egregious statements made,” O’Hara said. “Clearly, they were out of line.”

The resolve called Emery’s comments “careless and inflammatory,” and cited his “highly inappropriate behavior toward a member of the local news media.”

Council President Brendan Rielly said he was “saddened” by the action taken by the council, but said it was necessary.

“We’ve never had to deal with a situation like this during my 14 years on the council,” he said Monday night. “I would have been happy to never deal with a situation like this, but it’s here.”

Rielly said he’s known Emery a long time, and knows he made a mistake, but that the council “has to take a strong line.”

“It definitely seemed like new territory,” said Foley Tuesday. “But I think it’s important that people know the position of the body collectively – that we don’t tolerate that type of behavior.”

Ward 3 resident Tony Bessey stood up at Monday’s meeting to agree that a resignation was in order.

“I am embarrassed by the words you used, and embarrassed to live in a community that keeps electing you,” he said. “I am embarrassed that you are stubborn in your willingness to stay as a representative of Ward 3.”

Bessey went on to say, “We deserve better as citizens of this community,” and thanked the council for supporting the resolve.

Guy Cote, another resident, said he immediately felt Emery should step down after hearing of his comments about the governor.

“I still feel that way, and I’m pleased to hear the council had strong terms tonight to ask for his resignation,” he said.

O’Hara, the lone Republican on the council, said Emery’s constituents in Ward 3 have “lost faith” in their councilor.

“Once a councilor loses the faith of his constituents, it’s only a matter of time before he doesn’t fill that chair anymore,” he said.

He also believes Emery should resign.

“Anytime you have a public office shrouded in controversy, there aren’t a lot of avenues other than resignation,” he said.

O’Hara added that Emery’s decision not to resign “does not bode well for his constituents in Ward 3, or the city of Westbrook.”

O’Hara said Emery sometimes “raises eyebrows” when he talks about issues.

“That’s pretty well-known,” he said.

The city does not have a process for recalling elected officials, although a draft ordinance was introduced, and then tabled, in 2014. O’Hara said the city’s Charter Committee may be discussing it soon.

Ray Richardson, a Westbrook resident and local radio talk show host, said Tuesday that he’s known Emery for a long time, and suggested that Emery’s actions at the Democratic town meeting last week came from an attempt to “grandstand” in front of a friendly crowd.

Last year, Richardson introduced a recall provision to the Committee of the Whole, which Emery chaired. But after the proposed ordinance was drafted, the committee tabled it in order to further discuss the details. Because it would be a change to the city charter, a referendum is required.

“I went before the council 13 months ago, and asked them to take a look at creating a recall provision,” Richardson said. “The council voted 7-0 to enact a process to see what this would look like. Unfortunately, Emery took it upon himself to drag his feet, and we didn’t get this done.”

However, even if the city had a recall ordinance in place, Emery’s term is up in November.

Richardson said Emery’s statements shouldn’t have happened, but that the comments only resulted in further “political grandstanding” at the state level, which he said “disgusted” him.

At the meeting Monday, Rielly said he “takes great pride” when people look at the Westbrook council and can’t tell who the Democrats, Republicans or independents are.

“We have worked tirelessly to move the city’s image forward in the past 15 years, and all of that was pretty much wiped out with Councilor Emery’s statements,” O’Hara said Tuesday. “It will be a long road to get that back.”

Paul Emery

Copy the Story Link