Posted on 01/08/2003 3:11:24 PM PST by Diddle E. Squat
Seabrook City Councilwoman Margaret Kidd Duncan quit the panel today after she had been requested to resign following a traffic stop last month in which she cursed at police officers.
Duncan resigned as mayor pro tem Monday.
City Councilman Mike Laible asked Duncan, 40, to resign the council post during a special council meeting Tuesday evening. His request was met by applause from about 150 people who packed the council chambers.
Laible's motion was approved by council members Pete Braccio, Rick Sammons and Jack Boteler. Councilman Larry Bonnin was absent. Duncan voted against the motion.
City Attorney Kim Mickelson, however, told the council that Duncan did not have to honor the council's resignation request. Instead, a council member must file a formal complaint to begin the process to remove her from office as specified in the city's charter.
Laible said he would file a complaint today.
In taped telephone conversations to the Seabrook Police Department, Duncan yelled obscenities at police officers and a dispatcher following an early Dec. 20 traffic stop. She also repeatedly told the officers and dispatcher that she was the city's mayor pro tem and demanded to speak to Police Chief Nona Holomon.
Duncan is accused of violating the city charter, which specifies that council members should deal with city employees through the city manager. Council members are forbidden from giving city employees directives.
Ten residents spoke during the public comment period at Tuesday's meeting and all demanded that Duncan resign or that the council take action against her.
"Her language was disgusting. This language is unbecoming a public official and she should no longer be able to represent the citizens of Seabrook," said former Councilman C.W. Schollkopf. "Ms. Duncan, it's time to accept the consequences of your behavior. I urge you to do the right thing and resign from office."
Schollkopf said Duncan had effectively used intimidation to keep police from issuing her any traffic citations. Duncan was stopped for speeding and running a stop sign, but officers issued no citations.
During the tirade toward the police officers, Duncan said the police were harassing her at the behest of "our white trash mayor, Robin Riley, and those white trash people on council." She also suggested the traffic stop was politically motivated because she supports the Port of Houston Authority's planned $1.2 billion container and cruise ship terminal in the Bayport Industrial District, just north of Seabrook.
When told by Sgt. Sean Wright that the stop was not politically motivated and the officers did not know who she was, Duncan, whose speech appeared slurred, said, "Of course, you do. I'm white. There's one woman on the City Council. I'm a white woman on the City Council."
The two officers involved in the traffic stop are black.
At one point, Duncan called the police dispatcher a "hillbilly" after he refused to contact the police chief.
Mel Bently, a nine-month resident of Seabrook, said "Ms. Duncan, you (are) an embarrassment. You are not a lady and you do not represent me," she said.
During the public comment period, Duncan stared down and scribbled.
When she was stopped by Officer Charles Skinner, Duncan handed him a business card reading, "Margaret Kidd Duncan, Mayor Pro Tem of Seabrook," instead of her driver's license.
The council accepted Duncan's resignation as mayor pro tem Tuesday evening and appointed Braccio as the new mayor pro tem. As mayor pro tem, Braccio will serve in the mayor's absence.
Talk radio had fun with this all day, which they should have. Unfortunately, Duncan is the only one on the Council who votes conservative. The rest are retards, just like she said.
My oh my. What a clossal ego!
To have the cards printed up in the first place is the height of arrogance. But then to shove one at a LEO on a traffic stop. Holy crap.
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