THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: Ward 3 Alderman Tom Hightower speaking when he was sworn in at the May 6 Danville City Council meeting.
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DANVILLE — Newly-elected Ward 3 Alderman Tom Hightower is currently barred from city properties, except to attend city council and Public Works Committee meetings of which he is a member and also personal city court proceedings.
The ban is due to what city officials call “disruptive, abusive, threatening and highly aggressive conduct” toward Mayor Rickey Williams Jr., City Clerk Lisa Monson, City Comptroller Alyssa Sweeten, Police Chief Chris Yates and other city employees.
Hightower said, “I sure cussed them out aggressively.” This included at an alderman orientation this month at city hall.
He acknowledges his temper, but said the reason he acts in that nature is when someone takes him there.
“I didn’t threaten anybody. I just told them how it is,” Hightower said.
He said he has 30 years of frustration built up from dealing with the city and city arrests and actions in his past, including most recently in September during a traffic stop for an expired license plate sticker.
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