Members of Eastpointe’s City Council walk out, ending meeting after less than 20 minutes

EASTPOINTE — The Eastpointe City Council’s Sept. 6 meeting ended after less than 20 minutes when four of the council’s five members stood up and left during the meeting’s first hearing of the public.

Tensions began escalating at the start of the first public comment section — at the start of the meeting — when the first speaker, Mary Hall-Rayford, resident and Eastpointe Board of Education trustee, said she came in support of Councilman Harvey Curley. Curley is contesting a personal protection order filed against him in Macomb County Circuit Court by Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens.

“I’m going to stop you right there. … I’m not going to let you speak on something that has to do with the police,” Owens said, interrupting Hall-Rayford.

A request for a PPO was filed by Owens against Curley after she allegedly was assaulted by Curley during the opening ceremonies of the Cruisin’ Gratiot event June 18. The PPO is before a Macomb County Circuit Court judge, awaiting the judge’s written opinion as of Sept. 7.

Hall-Rayford requested a point of order from City Attorney Richard Albright but was again interrupted by Owens.

“I’m going to have a point of order and talk over you,” Owens said. “This is going to be one of those meetings that I’ve never seen before.”

After a brief exchange between Owens and Hall-Rayford, Curley called his own point of order.

“I always thought when people come up to the hearing of the public they can certainly speak about individuals at this council table, good comments or bad comments,” he said.

“It’s called ‘hearing of the public’ and the hearing of the public has every opportunity and every chance to say what they want within the three minute time capsule,” Curley said.

Owens responded by saying that certain incidents wouldn’t be discussed during the hearing of the public to maintain order during the meeting.

“If you’re going to say something, concentrate on certain things, allegations that have not been (ruled on) by a judge, or anything like that, I’m going to stop it too,” she said.

Tensions between Owens and Curley continued to increase when Curley accused Owens of “jumping on” Hall-Rayford “three words into what she was going to say, not knowing what she was going to say.”

“Don’t say ‘jumped.’ … I’m not enraged like you have been,” Owens said, referring to the incident that resulted in her filing for the PPO.

After more exchanges between Owens and members of the audience, Albright addressed the issues.

“Members of the public have a right to address the City Council or they may speak individually about a member of the council as well. But again, if it’s going to get into an issue of racial accusations, something along those lines, then the mayor certainly has the right as the controller of the meeting to shut that down. But otherwise, anybody has a free rein of topics that they would like to speak about or address, and if they want to address a particular member of this council with criticism, they have the right to do that. That’s part of our First Amendment,” Albright said.

“Like you said, the mayor, if she sees something that’s going out of order, I have that (ability) to stop them as well. But I also have my First Amendment right. And if you’re saying something out of line, as my First Amendment right, whether a mayor or not a mayor, I’m going to speak,” Owens said.

Owens restarted Hall-Rayford’s time and allowed her to finish speaking. At the end of her time, spent saying positive things about Curley, Hall-Rayford explained what she felt should have happened with her allotted time.

“Hearing a person out before judging what they’re going to say should be the rule of thumb, not automatically assuming, because assuming only does one thing,” Hall-Rayford said.

Next, a second resident, Karen Beltz, was interrupted by Owens when she too voiced support for Curley, stating that she felt he shouldn’t have to defend himself against “outrageous claims.”

“Don’t sit here and assault me, lady I never met,” Owens said.

Owens went on to say that no person would be using the hearing of the public to victimize anyone, especially someone named in a police report, stating they should let the courts settle it.

Despite trying to call a point of order, Beltz was not allowed to finish. A third Eastpointe resident, Karen Mouradjian, took the podium, calling the situation “ridiculous” and a violation of First Amendment rights. 

Mouradjian told Owens that if she can’t take criticism, she should not be mayor.

When the two began arguing about violating First Amendment rights and calling each other “out of line,” another council member attempted to call a point of order. When it was ignored, Council members Sarah Lucido, Cardi DeMonaco, Rob Baker and Curley stood and left the room as the arguing continued.

At the meeting, the council was expected to vote on Planning Commission appointments, a review from the city manager and a new business application. As of press time, the meeting had not been rescheduled.

Contact Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637 or bwells@candgnews.com.