Tensions Flair at Brooklyn Park Council Meeting
Tensions continue to flare between some members of the Brooklyn Park City Council.
Brooklyn Park City Council Member Maria Tran and Mayor Hollies Winston have verbally sparred during recent meetings.
The trend continued on Monday, Aug. 28, when Tran took issue with Winston interrupting her during a series of comments related to age-friendly senior programming. She accused him of bullying her.
“You bully me enough,” she said. “This is not the first time.”
Winston disagreed, saying he wanted to keep the meeting on-schedule.
“I cut you off because you ran a little long,” he said. “You’re not a victim.”
By the time of their disagreement, the meeting had lasted more than three hours.
Afterwards, the lengthy meeting would continue. It would take nearly four hours and twenty minutes to bring the meeting to a close.
While the contentious interchange between Tran and Winston was relatively quick, it continued to escalate until Brooklyn Park City Council Member XP Lee called for a point of order.
“They all bully, you know?” Tran said. “Right here in the chamber. This is not the first time. Purposefully. Men with no balls … and no education either. Very low, low, low.”
Tensions have flared recently between some city council members in the Brooklyn Park City Council Chambers.
Below is a transcript of their comments:
Winston: Council Member Tran—
Tran: Why are you cut—
Winston: I would like — there’s other folks that would, would — that want to get some comments in. We could come back to you, but, I know there’s some other folks that wanted to speak.
Tran: Why are you always [cutting] me off like this?
Winston: Well, I cut you off because you ran a little long.
CROSSTALK
Winston: I am respectful, but you ran a little long and I’m just trying to—
Tran: I see other members, you know, even speak longer than me. It’s okay to you.
Winston: No it’s not.
Tran: You do this to me a lot.
Winston: Council Member Tran, if you—
Tran: So now I have to warn you.
Winston: Well thank you for warning me. It’s 9:10 [p.m.]—
Tran: No, I am not done yet.
Winston: It would be nice if we could get out of here by 10 [p.m.], so if you could—
Tran: This topic, my request to put in for discussion—
CROSSTALK
Winston: Council Member Tran, I’m happy to come back to you, but if you could just respect the process—
Tran: No, you need to respect my time. This is my time to speak.
Winston: I am respecting your time, but if you want to disrespect everybody by having an argument with me that’s fine as well.
Tran: You bully me enough. You know? This is not the first time.
Winston: You’re not a victim. So if you want some other people to speak—
Tran: And more things I want to talk about—
Winston: Council Member Tran—
CROSSTALK
Winston: If you could allow other people to speak instead of being disrespectful.
Tran: No, you’re disrespectful to me. You keep bullying females like me.
Winston: You’re not a victim.
Tran: And I am elderly to compare with you. Can people see that? Elderly abuse even in the council chambers. How can you protect the resident?
Brooklyn Park City Council Member XP Lee: Point of order, point of order.
Winston: Council Member Lee.
Lee: I just want to say I think that’s uncalled for.
Tran: They all bully, you know? Right here in the chamber. This is not the first time. Purposefully. Men with no balls.
Lee: I would — I’m not sure where to go from here but I think that’s uncalled for.
Tran: Yeah, you, all three.
Winston: I think you just told on yourself right there, but—
Tran: Men with no balls. And no education either. Very low, low, low.
Brooklyn Park City Attorney: Mr. Mayor, there’s been a point of order.
To view the full footage of the meeting, click here. Their comments start around 3:08:23.
