OPINION – I attended the council meeting referenced by former Mayor Linda Kavanagh in her recent letter. In her description, she suggested the situation had become volatile and that she required an urgent escort from the building. This account does not reflect my own experience.
After the chambers were cleared, all attendees — including Ms. Kavanagh — were asked to exit. The lobby remained civil as residents continued watching the meeting’s live feed. Several individuals who had arrived with Ms. Kavanagh stayed in the lobby without any sign of concern for their own safety.
When a deputy later informed me that he had escorted Ms. Kavanagh to her vehicle, it seemed disproportionate to the atmosphere at the time. At no point did I observe behavior that appeared threatening toward anyone. While I have disagreed with some of her positions over the years, I believe strongly in civil discourse and the right to speak freely without fear.
