FLINT (AP) - The city of Flint has paid a councilman $4,500 after he claimed he was unlawfully arrested when police escorted him from a contentious meeting over a garbage contract.
Councilman Eric Mays received the money after he filed a damage claim for being handcuffed and taken from a City Council meeting in August, MLive reported.
City Council President Kerry Nelson said he asked an officer to remove Mays after giving him two warnings for being out of order. Mays was led from the council meeting and taken by elevator to the first floor, where he was released.
The officer involved said Mays told him he would have to handcuff him before escorting him from council chambers.
Nelson said he plans to talk to the attorney general's office about the money given to Mays.
"My position is that Nelson should be taken away," Mays said.
Mays claims Nelson conducts some council meetings "in an unlawful discriminatory way."
"He should ask the attorney general if he is conducting rules properly under Roberts Rules of Order," said Mays. "He prematurely asked the police officer to wrongfully remove me from the council meeting."
City Attorney Stacy Erwin Oakes, who approved the payment, said it was improper to handcuff Mays and take him out of the meeting. She also said Nelson did not follow city rules.
"Ultimately, this proved to be an unfortunate and embarrassing incident that hopefully resulted in a teachable moment for all involved," Erwin Oakes said.
The claim, which resulted in a financial expense of 4.5 percent of the damage claim amount and a signed release, avoided a costly lawsuit, according to Erwin Oaks.
She said the claims do not have to go before a council.
Published: Mon, Nov 14, 2016
