After the Mayor of Gold Beach Karl Popoff responded to an email from the Oregon Coast Community Action’s Executive Director Kim Brick that was addressed to the board members of the non-profit of which Mayor Popoff was a member, a special meeting was called Tuesday evening by Gold Beach City Councilors Tamie Kaufman, Position #5 and Summer Matteson, Position #1, to discuss the email sent by Mayor Popoff according to a Gold Beach City Council statement Wednesday.
In the Oregon Coast Community Action organizations email, Executive Director Brick explained that the organization originated from the Civil Rights Movement and went on to outline and align the groups directive with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mayor Popoff responded with a scathing email which resulted in Mayor Karl Popoff’s resignation from the board of the non-profit organization, and the call for a special meeting of the Gold Beach City Council after the Mayor’s email response was leaked to the media.
At the special meeting Tuesday night called by Gold Beach City Councilors to discuss the email sent by 16 year Mayor Karl Popoff, the Council determined that Mayor Popoff violated the City’s code of conduct, specifically its rules against discriminatory behavior and speech.
As a result, by a majority vote of 3-2, the Gold Beach City Council publicly censured the Mayor. Furthermore, the Council decided by a unanimous vote to withdraw its approval to fund the Mayor’s future participation on all committees, boards and associations for the remaining five months of the Mayor’s term.
The City Council statement went on to say that it “honors elected officials’ free speech rights. The Council understands that elected officials should have wide latitude to express their views, even when controversial, so that their constituents can properly judge their actions. However, each member of the Council has voluntarily agreed to abide by the City’s rules and policies, including those pertaining to non-discriminatory speech and conduct.”
It for this reason that the Council believes it was reasonable and appropriate to issue a censure and prohibit the Mayor’s future participation on community committees and boards.
The Gold Beach City Council statement went on to say “opinions expressed in Mayor Popoff’s email do not reflect the opinions of the City Council as a whole, and the City of Gold Beach is dedicated to enhancing quality of life, while promoting health, safety and welfare of our citizens, businesses and visitors in the most fiscally responsible manner. In doing this, the City will respect the past, respond to current concerns and plan for the future, while maintaining environmental sensitivity in our beach-oriented community. The City remains committed to its policies prohibiting discrimination of all kinds.”
The City Council does not have the authority to remove any person from the Council and as such the Mayor Karl Popoff will remain in his position as Mayor for the 5 months remaining in his elected term.
