A video of last Wednesday’s meeting among three City Council members and three Sebastian Property Owners Association (SPOA) has been released to the public.
In the video, City Council members Charles Mauti, Pamela Parris, and Damien Gilliams are shown on the dais, rushing through a “meeting” to fire the City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk.
Also in the chambers were SPOA directors Diana Bolton, a self-proclaimed science researcher, Bob Stephens, SPOA Vice-President, and Dr. Robert Bedea, who is also a city council candidate.
Graham Cox, who serves on the board for both the Friends of the St. Sebastian River and the Pelican Island Audubon Society, was also in the chambers, but told Sebastian Daily he thought a regularly scheduled meeting was taken place, even though the lights were out, a sign on the door said “meeting canceled,” and the overhead projector had the words “meeting canceled.”
Buzz Herrmann was sitting outside the chambers during the meeting.
Bolton, Stephen, Bedea, Cox, and Herrmann also serve on the board of directors for various local environmental groups such as the Friends of St. Sebastian River, Pelican Island Audubon Society, and others.
The three city council members wasted no time appointing Damien Gilliams as the new mayor.
During the recording, you can see Bolton sitting at a table while filming the meeting. Then, you can hear Bob Stephens say, “Here come the police” right before the meeting adjourned.
The State Attorney’s Office is investigating the case for multiple Sunshine Law violations, both criminal and civil.
On Thursday, Sebastian residences chanted “lock him up” while Gilliams was speaking at a conference. They are accusing everyone in the chambers of holding an illegal coup to take over the City of Sebastian.
On Friday, all three council members were served with papers to attend an emergency hearing for Monday as City of Sebastian officials filed an injunction accusing the defendants of violating Florida Statute 286.011, a second-degree misdemeanor, and punishable of up to 60 days in jail.
Last month, a new political action committee formed to recall Gilliams and Parris from office. The recall group is located on Facebook and called Sebastian Voters Against Gilliams and Parris.