ABOVE: Danville Alderman Robert Williams strongly states his point for Mayor Williams’ side when it comes to language allegedly used during a recent incident with DACC’s President Nacco.
With it being less than two weeks since a conflict between Danville’s Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr and DACC’s President Dr. Stephen Nacco came to a boil, it was no surprise what happened at Tuesday (Sept 3rd) evening’s Danville City Council meeting. As Vice-Mayor Tricia Teague later re-emphasized, we should remember there are two separate issues. The first issue was how two local leaders felt about Danville getting involved in a federal program designed to help illegal immigrants who have crossed the southern border with housing, health care, and job training. Nacco was in favor of that, Williams was not. Alderman Jon Cooper initiated the Tuesday night meeting discussion, saying that despite being pressed for time to say “yes” or “no;” the mayor should have e-mailed all of the Council members to let them know about the immigrants program issue in the first place.
The recent conflict between Danville’s Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr (left) and DACC’s President Dr. Stephen Nacco (right) took center stage at the Tuesday night Danville City Council meeting.
The second issue was what Williams says happened during and after a private meeting when the first issue disagreement came to a boil. And the most intense exchange of the Tuesday City Council meeting occurred between Mayor Williams and Alderman Ed Butler. Butler said the mayor’s placing of the conflict on his Facebook page in effect got all of the City Council, and therefore all of the city, directly involved. Then, there was the issue of Dr. Nacco allegedly using the word “boy” in reference to Williams, and how the mayor interpreted it. Butler feels the mayor took it wrongly, saying that it’s a word that is often used by members of the older generation to put the younger generation in its place. Vice-Mayor Teague agreed with that, saying she’s done it herself, although she is not necessarily proud of it.
(Picture One) Alderman Ed Butler expresses his opinion during an exchange with Mayor Williams. (Picture Two) Mayor Williams and Alderman Jon Butler exchange thoughts during early part of discussion on Williams – Nacco conflict. (Picture Three) Vice-Mayor Tricia Teague puts “two separate issues” emphasis on overall conflict picture.
AUDIO: Because I have thought that concerning younger people. When they have said things that seem to be disrespectful, or gotten out of pocket; I have thought to myself, or even said out loud, “little boy” or “little girl.” That doesn’t make it right, or that doesn’t make it justified. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
As far as the original issue in all this goes: should Danville have participated in the Immigration Project; Alderman Butler says, absolutely. Butler says they are already here, and they need help. Butler says the Council should have had the chance to consider accepting the funds, and helping these people.
AUDIO: And I can remember back in January, I think it was the 28th, I brought it to the Council; that when the governor offered us funding, that the immigrants were going to come here from Chicago; that we could have housed, and found them health care and housing. But of course, the mayor said that he didn’t entertain it. And I kind of think he should have came to the Council, so that we could have discussed it.
But Mayor Williams says Butler’s comparison during the meeting of what slaves went through trying to make it to what immigrants are going through misses one major point.
AUDIO: Alderman Butler forgets that my father is black. And what I say to him is we were brought here forcefully; other people are coming here unlawfully. When we are struggling so much with resources, when we have such a huge homeless population problem, when we have a dearth of quality housing; it seems unfair and unreasonable to bring people into a situation like that, who have no resources to care for themselves.
Alderman Robert Williams, who had a strong debate with Butler during the meeting about the word “boy” issue, says he would love to see Mayor Williams and President Nacco just sit down and talk.
AUDIO: I would like to see the two of them get together, Dr. Nacco and the Mayor, and resolve this. It’s nothing we can do as a Council, but hopefully they can get together and resolve it.
Dr. Nacco’s last public comment came on Friday, August 23rd; stating that he would be withholding comment while the DACC Board of Trustees completes an investigation into Mayor Williams’ allegations.
