Stonecrest City Council votes to censure mayor after 'immature' public remarks
Stonecrest mayor censured after 'inflammatory' remarks during council meeting
The Stonecrest mayor is at the center of another controversy for comments he made during a September meeting. Mayor Jason Lary made comments that offended some councilmembers, but Lary said he's frustrated with the council that he claims in tearing down his work in the city.
STONECREST, Ga. - In a special-called meeting Monday evening, members of the Stonecrest City Council voted 4-1 to censure Mayor Jason Lary.
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"What the mayor said was unacceptable and does not represent city council," said Mayor Pro Tem George Turner.
The censure stemmed from remarks Mayor Lary made at the end of a council meeting on Sept. 27.
"If you don't know protocol, you better learn it with me," said Lary. "You don't recognize Mayor Pro Temp and council and just leave me standing there like I'm not in the meeting. I will show you my hairy behind next time it happens and that's the only warning I'm going to give with this."
Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary (City of Stonecrest)
Mayor Lary's tirade came after what has been a year marred by controversy.
The governor signed legislation in April to strip the mayor of voting power on Stoncrest's city council. The city also launched an investigation into allegations Lary took thousands of dollars in kickbacks from groups that were awarded federal COVID relief grants and the mayor resumed cancer treatments.
Mayor Lary issued a statement to FOX 5 about the censure:
"My frustrations have boiled over with this council. They are purposely seeking to tear down everything I have worked to build in Stonecrest. While I was out on cancer leave, they removed me from every committee I created, refused to pay my car allowance, while paying six figures to the finance director and $209,000 annually to the acting city manager (including a car allowance). None the less, I will continue to serve the people of the great city of Stonecrest."
Councilman Jimmy Clanton said while he agreed the mayor's comments were inappropriate, he ultimately voted against the resolution, saying the council should establish a policy first.
"We got to determine whether saying, 'hairy' and one word and I won't put them together, but then later on saying, 'behind.' We need some definition. We need some guidelines. We need some directions so that we can apply this every case, every time to whoever make the statement," explained Councilman Clanton.
As part of the resolution, council members instructed the acting city manager to draft a policy governing decorum at public meetings. They plan to review it at their next work session, which is scheduled for October 11.
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