Theresa Stehly apologizes to City Council
City Councilor Theresa Stehly apologized Tuesday for speaking over a banging gavel last week in a moment of political tension.
Stehly was gaveled down during the City Council’s Sept. 23 informational meeting, after she accused City Hall administration of bullying and intimidation. She should have respected the City Council’s rules for propriety, Stehly said, still defending her right to express opinions.
“Today I want to apologize to you for not recognizing the decorum of the gavel,” Stehly said.
Stehly did not back down from her ability to talk about her concerns in public, and promised to continue to use her voice as an advocate for citizens.
“I will still speak up about issues,” Stehly said.
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Stehly used an open discussion period last week to criticize other city officials, accusing them of threatening her and telling her to not speak to the media. She also skipped an executive session that followed, which she believed had been scheduled to discuss complaints against her work as a councilor.
Stehly could have faced sanctions, including an ethics complaint, for her actions. Rolfing declined to say whether Stehly’s outburst broke the rules, but he said he accepted her apology.
“I guess that’s all I can say,” Rolfing said. “She seems sincere, so let’s go with it.”
The city rulebook asks local leaders to keep a level of decorum during meetings, and requires them to act with integrity for the sake of promoting “public confidence.”
After apologizing, Stehly expressed a desire to put differences aside.
“I want to say that moving forward, I hope that we can work together with a renewed sense of peace, integrity and respect,” Stehly said.
