Sebastian Councilman Charles Mauti released a statement today, admitting it was a mistake to convene the meeting on April 22, 2020.

Mauti started by saying everyone has made mistakes in their lives, and no one is a perfect angel.

“I do not pretend to know everything. I do try to listen when wise people speak; I do observe and ask questions … In essence, I always try to learn,” he wrote.

Mauti also mentioned a quote from James Madison, one of our Founding Fathers, who said: “if men were angels, no government would be necessary”.

The councilman wants to move on after Judge Janet Croom encouraged the council to move past the current issues that “seperate us.”

“We must go back to wisdom and understanding on behalf of the citizens who voted for us. That is what I intend to do – to honor my pledge to govern with the annexation ever-present in mind, to make decisions based on facts and data that supports informed decisions which will serve the citizens of Sebastian with the vision we all hold to preserve the wonderful quality of life we enjoy here,” Mauti said.

“It was my mistake to convene the meeting on April 22, 2020, although I thought it was the right thing to do at that time. I am not an experienced nor a professional politician. My error was a novice, political mistake, one which I have learned from and will never repeat. I recall the words of Don Schuller: ‘to lead by example.’ The wisdom within his words will stay with me as I fulfill my duties as a City Councilman, leading by example: listening, asking questions, evaluating the data, looking at the whole picture and making decisions on facts, not feelings or emotions.

Mauti pledges to put his efforts behind getting the City Council back to the business of the city, back to the 4/22/2020 agenda left in limbo, and back to a consensus that will move the city business forward.

As for the agenda proposed by Councilman Damien Gilliams to fire city staff:

“I will not support any actions that will delay, postpone or suspend the City Council getting back to the 4/22/2020 business – too many people are depending on the Council’s decisions relative to their business on that agenda,” said Mauti.

“For many reasons, the Mayor and I have our differences. The same is true concerning the City Manager and the City Attorney. I believe, however, that we can resolve these differences in public, at City Hall, whenever the subsequent city council meeting takes place,” he stated.

Mauti is asking all members of the City Council to come back to the dais to work through their differences and to address the issues important to the City of Sebastian.

Tonight’s special City Council meeting will discuss the agenda proposed by Damien Gilliams to fire city staff and limit public input. The meeting is at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.

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