Most Chatham-Kent councillors agree that while they expect public criticism and need a thick skin to do their jobs, increasing harassment and intimidation from the public has crossed the line.
Chatham-Kent councillor Marjorie Crew brought up the issue of harassment during Monday night’s council meeting.
Crew was prompted to say something, noting councillors are fed up with a postcard campaign demanding they resign for “egregious assault on democracy” for supporting sanctions against fellow councillor Rhonda Jubenville for violating council’s code of conduct.
“This is from a very limited, but loud, group of people,” Crew said during council’s meeting Monday, displaying one of the cards.
”I won’t resign and I support democracy. I don’t think people realize how much of this we have been putting up with. Things have been put on our cars. There are petitions online that have some very derogatory, hateful things that we don’t stand for in Chatham-Kent. And I will stand up for it every single time. This is wrong and I’m not going to put up with it.”
Crew said she doesn’t believe Jubenville had anything to do with the postcards.
Crew was first elected to Chatham-Kent Council in 2006 and says while she has felt the public’s wrath on various issues over the years, it has never been this bad.
South Kent Coun. Anthony Ceccacci agreed with Crew, noting harassment has been “happening more and more and more.”
“You would think and hope that his stuff would start to go away, but it’s not,” he said.
“We signed up to help our community, not to always be assassinated by a very select group of people who are trying to undermine bringing all kinds of voices to the council chambers.”
Jubenville said she had no knowledge of the postcards.
She said she too has received a lot of hate and attacks, including items left on her council desk.
“I have a website in my name, by someone, and it’s very offensive,” Jubenville said.