An October executive session by the Palmer City Council, during which the performance and employment severance contract of the city manager was being discussed, devolved into yelling, bullying, menacing gestures, and misogynistic behavior toward women on the city council, according to a written account by Councilwoman Victoria Hudson, who was newly elected as of October.
Hudson described in her account how then-City Manager Stephen Jellie screamed at her and the other woman councilwoman, Carolina Anzelotti Graber, causing them to both become fearful for their safety. Numerous times, Hudson said Jellie lifted himself out of his chair to menace and threaten them, and he used vulgar hand-gestures witnessed by other council members in order to demean them.
Since that hostile meeting, both Graber and Hudson were traumatized, and one slept with a firearm nearby. Graber, pregnant at the time, suffered a tragic miscarriage that her doctor said was due to the stress and sleep deprivation, she said.
As Mayor Steve Carrington had excused the public from the council chambers, Jellie started in with his antics. To Sarah Heath, the city attorney, who was asked to leave for the executive session, Jellie made the motion of someone flipping burgers and reportedly said, “Enjoy working at Wendy’s, you’ll be a great burger flipper.”
Later in the session, when Heath was present in the chambers, Jellie repeatedly used the gesture of a circle made by fingers and thumb on one hand and a finger from the other hand going in and out of the circle, Hudson said.
That is a known vulgar gesture that can also be experienced as a threat or intimidation.
Attorney Heath had originally been asked to leave the executive session because she had issued a public advisement about Jellie, which was only part of what was leading to his sudden severance from the city after just 52 days.
But Councilman John Alcantra pushed back and asked why the city attorney had to leave the executive session. “Last time we had an executive session without her there were open meeting act violations,” he reportedly said. Council members Graber, Josh Tudor and Hudson backed Alcantra. A vote was taken and Heath was allowed back in the room, but ordered to sit in the back of the room by the mayor.
The executive session continued, with Jellie reportedly targeting the women on the council, first starting with Graber and then moving on to Hudson, who described his statements as hostile and “screaming louder at her.” Graber tried to defend herself and finally broke down in tears.
“Are you done yet?” Jellie reportedly said, as she tried to stop crying. She was in her first trimester.
Later, some in the room described the entire meeting as abusive. But it went from bad to worse.
Jellie was next asked by Hudson if he had fired the police chief, which was the primary reason the entire city was in an upheaval over his leadership.
According to Hudson’s account, Jellie said, “You’re a nobody and I don’t have to answer that.” Hudson, in fact, is an elected official and his boss, but she had only been recently elected.
“I am somebody. I was elected and you do have to answer to me,” Hudson responded, according to her account, and she said Jellie smirked and made a chuckle toward her. Her microphone was turned off.
“At this point I was very confused as to why the Mayor was not defending Carolina and I. Also I truly felt that Stephen (Jellie) was pushing us to a reaction so he could have something else to use against us. Why else would you yell and yell and yell at a woman until they break and cry and then proceed to laugh at them?” she wrote.
She said the mayor, Councilman Richard Best or Councilman Cooper would not defend order and dignity in the room. In fact they laughed and egged Jellie on in his abuse.
The drama continued, with Jellie being allowed to berate the women on the council.
“There were multiple times where I personally was again concerned for her (Graber’s) well being and safety during this specific conversation. I also was becoming extremely concerned about the lack of leadership from our Mayor,” Hudson said.
Heath told the council that Jellie needed to leave the room so they could discuss his contract, but Jellie refused and said he could sue Heath for the things she said about him publicly, according to Hudson. Jellie was allowed to stay.
The mockery and degradation of the women — Heath, Graber, and Hudson — continued, Hudson said: “At this point I was crying and very uncomfortable. I was honestly scared. Throughout this entire session I was screamed at more times than I can count. Had hand gestures made at me. Stephen Jellie came out of his chair like he was going to come at me if I dared to upset him anymore or talk back to him. I also had no idea at this point that his lawsuit threats were not something I had to protect myself from personally. I truly felt like I was in danger. And was so shocked that the Mayor did nothing. I also want to note that Richard Best and Jim Cooper making those comments while I was speaking made me very uncomfortable. And were very harassing. Since this executive session I have had nightmares that I cannot escape that room. No matter what I do I cannot wake up and I cant get out. The nightmares end as Stephen Jellie approaches me. I have been scared to be home alone as well. I also feel very uncomfortable in a room behind the dais with three men that did absolutely nothing but make rude disparaging comments while I was speaking and a Mayor that did absolutely nothing to stop the outrageous behavior. “
Hudson and Graber felt so physically threatened that they filed a report about the incident with the Palmer Police.
Both women say they have been scared for their lives and asked the Palmer Police to do patrols near their houses because of the threats they experienced.
Immediately after the meeting that night, Jellie was gone, with his severance contract in hand.
Since that meeting, the seating arrangement in the room has been changed to place members Best by Graber and Cooper by Hudson, and observers say they continue to use intimidation tactics to distract, interrupt, and harass the women under their breath with derogatory statements.
Must Read Alaska recognizes this is a partial account of that executive session and will provide Mayor Carrington and the other members of the council the opportunity to respond to it. This account of what occurred has been condensed greatly and does not provide every behavior accusation lodged against Jellie.
The next meeting of the Palmer City Council is Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Palmer City Council Chambers, 231 W Evergreen Avenue, Palmer.
Under unfinished business is “Discussion of Investigation of Previous City Manager Interactions with City Staff and City Attorney (postponed from 10/22/24 meeting).”
If any of this is true, then heads need to roll. Shame on Palmer City Council .
This is an embarrassment. Speaking as a Palmer resident, we are better than this.
Mayor Carrington needs to be canned. A special election needs to happen for a suitable replacement right away.