A heated Burlington City Council meeting took place Monday night. Former Racial Equity Director Tyeastia Green was at the center of a controversial new report that suggests money for the 2021 and 2022 Juneteenth celebrations was mishandled.The public forum lasted more than two hours with many people showing their support for Green as well as former event planner Casey Ellerby. The report that was done by an outside firm, directed by Heather Ross, showed there was no evidence of embezzlement or theft.It did show there was mismanagement or carelessness before the celebration.The report said Green and Ellerby believed the budget for the 2022 celebrations was to be $500,000.The firm could only find an approved budget of $100,000, which later got amended to $180,000.An additional $100,000 was secured through private donations.However, the city was still left on the hook for a little over $131,000.Dozens of people that showed up to the city council meeting in support of Green questioned the accuracy, motive and timing of the audit.“The conclusion section alleges misconduct and carelessness, while in the recommendation section, it makes it very clear that no law or city policy was violated,” said Lee Morrigan, a Burlington resident. “I don’t know how those two could co-exist.” Ward 1 City Councilor Zoraya Hightower also showed her support for Green and called on the mayor to apologize.”Mr. Mayor — you need to apologize for how you handled this,” said Hightower. “You need to apologize to Tyeastia for running her out of the city government. You need to apologize for decimating the REIB department. If you can’t do that, Burlington can’t heal.”In a statement given to NBC on Friday, Green shared in part: “The city audited its only black event… In particular, the Juneteenth that I wasn’t in charge of. … I see this report as exonerating me. I expected an apology from the city and instead I get disrespected.” On Monday, Mayor Miro Weinberger also shared a statement saying:“For any person to misinterpret or misuse this financial review to fuel their own vile racist narratives — or to weaponize the facts laid out carefully in this government report to attack current or former City officials on the basis of their identity or to undermine the importance and legitimacy of racial equity and diversity initiatives generally — is wrong and I reject and condemn that behavior.”Last week on social media, Green shared she would speak during the meeting’s public comment session.However, she did not end up speaking during the session.
A heated Burlington City Council meeting took place Monday night.
Former Racial Equity Director Tyeastia Green was at the center of a controversial new report that suggests money for the 2021 and 2022 Juneteenth celebrations was mishandled.
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The public forum lasted more than two hours with many people showing their support for Green as well as former event planner Casey Ellerby.
The report that was done by an outside firm, directed by Heather Ross, showed there was no evidence of embezzlement or theft.
It did show there was mismanagement or carelessness before the celebration.
The report said Green and Ellerby believed the budget for the 2022 celebrations was to be $500,000.
The firm could only find an approved budget of $100,000, which later got amended to $180,000.
An additional $100,000 was secured through private donations.
However, the city was still left on the hook for a little over $131,000.
Dozens of people that showed up to the city council meeting in support of Green questioned the accuracy, motive and timing of the audit.
“The conclusion section alleges misconduct and carelessness, while in the recommendation section, it makes it very clear that no law or city policy was violated,” said Lee Morrigan, a Burlington resident. “I don’t know how those two could co-exist.”
Ward 1 City Councilor Zoraya Hightower also showed her support for Green and called on the mayor to apologize.
“Mr. Mayor — you need to apologize for how you handled this,” said Hightower. “You need to apologize to Tyeastia for running her out of the city government. You need to apologize for decimating the REIB department. If you can’t do that, Burlington can’t heal.”
In a statement given to NBC on Friday, Green shared in part:
“The city audited its only black event… In particular, the Juneteenth that I wasn’t in charge of. … I see this report as exonerating me. I expected an apology from the city and instead I get disrespected.”
On Monday, Mayor Miro Weinberger also shared a statement saying:
“For any person to misinterpret or misuse this financial review to fuel their own vile racist narratives — or to weaponize the facts laid out carefully in this government report to attack current or former City officials on the basis of their identity or to undermine the importance and legitimacy of racial equity and diversity initiatives generally — is wrong and I reject and condemn that behavior.”
Last week on social media, Green shared she would speak during the meeting’s public comment session.
However, she did not end up speaking during the session.
