Mount Carmel vice mayor still upset about 2021 Sunshine Law violation accusation

Tension was high at Thursday's Mount Carmel Board of Mayor meeting when Vice Mayor Tresa Mawk confronted Alderman John Gibson over her decision not to seek re-election.

Mawk accused Gibson of being behind allegations that she had violated the Sunshine Law with Alderman Darby Patrick prior to a BMA workshop in July of 2021.

The tense moment caught many in attendance by surprise as Mawk revisited the three year old controversy.

“I will not be seeking re-election as this has not been a pleasant position for me," Mawk said as she turned to Gibson. "I have been accused of violating the Sunshine Law. And when the tape was supposedly played, you accused me of talking to Alderman Darby Patrick about votes, and I didn’t say one word about votes. Not one.”

The Tennessee Open Records Law, also known as the Sunshine Law requires government bodies to be transparent and conduct most business in the public eye.

During the Aug. 12, 2021 BMA workshop former city manager Mike Housewright presented the board with a video of that showed Patrick talking to Mawk prior to the July 22 BMA meeting.

During the video Patrick criticized the former fire chief, and then points out that they need a fourth vote to break a 3-3 tie on an unspecified issue.

Initially Patrick criticizes the fire chief, stating that he’s just there for a paycheck.

Patrick tells Mawk, “As long as they have three votes it hard to block them. Once we get the fourth we can block them there.”

Housewright and former City Attorney John Pevy told the BMA at the time that discussing votes prior to a meeting was a violation of the Sunshine Law.

That July, 2021 video can be seen in the online version of this article at www.therogersvillereview.com

At Thursday's BMA meeting Mawk focused her frustration about the August 2021 Sunshine Law allegations toward Gibson.

“I know that you have gone behind my back and done other things (John), and this has been an extremely unpleasant experience for me,” Mawk told Gibson. “And I have to pray to God for the way I feel about you.”

Mawk stated that she has served the town many years and this has been more than she can bear.

“I am 72 years old, my husband has become seriously ill, but I cannot handle any more of this,” she explained.

Mayor Pat Stilwell, who is been challenged by Gibson for the mayor seat in the Nov. 5 municipal election, thanked Mawk for her time spent planting flowers out front of City Hall, among other duties she had taken on in her time as vice mayor.

Gibson didn't respond to Mawk's remarks.