As the Springfield City Council meets again Monday night, councilors will do so on the heels of a heated back-and-forth that nearly ended with a police officer intervening.
Last time the council met, a debate over a street discontinuance took a raucous turn.
During the April 7 meeting, the council was faced with an item that would mean the city abandoning a plot of land on Cloverdale Street to its abutters.
One of them is likely to build a new mosque on the land, as was indicated during the meeting. It would go up across the street from an older mosque that officials say has been growing, while also experiencing parking issues.
Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila, whose district includes the parcel, says the project was needed. However, upon learning the local neighborhood civic association may not have weighed in on the matter yet, he asked that the matter be sent to a subcommittee.
It ultimately was, but not before Davila appeared to allegedly violate a rule governing how many questions a councilor can ask in some circumstances.
Council President Tracye Whitfield attempted to enforce the relatively-new policy, though that turned into a heated back-and-forth that, at one point, featured Whitfield calling for a police officer stationed in the council chambers.
“You are completely out of place, Madame President,” Davila yelled.
Whitfield argued further questions on the discontinuance could be asked at a subcommittee meeting.
“You want to send the item to committee; let’s do that, and then you can get all of your questions answered!” the president replied.
“I’m asking a clarifying question!” Davila retorted. “We’re spending more time… if I asked the clarifying question, rather than you insisting for me to shut up!”
Whitfield would point out she didn’t ask Davila to “shut up,” before shouting “I’m making the decisions here.”
Amid more yelling, and Whitfield requesting an officer approach the body, several councilors, including Councilors at Large Justin Hurst and Brian Santaniello, called for a recess.
The request would be granted, with Davila returning for the meeting and normal business resuming.
Davila has previously been one of Whitfield’s larger critics. Earlier in the year, the Ward 6 councilor went as far as to request Whitfield step down from the presidency amid a conflict of interest case involving her and another discontinuance item.
