As long as I have a microphone, I’m going to use it. And when I see a table that needs to be flipped, I’ll flip it. But like everyone, I’m not perfect, and when I make a mistake or cross a line, I will own it.
At our August 19th Naperville City Council meeting, I made some very strong criticisms of the leadership of the Naperville Environmental and Sustainability Task Force (NEST). My critique was directed solely at NEST leadership’s behavior, not at my colleagues. In response, Councilwoman Gibson and Councilman White addressed me directly in the following meetings, criticizing me for raising these concerns. When Councilwoman Gibson later shared her public comments on social media, I felt compelled to defend my position on my page, and I fully stand by that.
However, I went too far. I’m not afraid to speak my mind to anyone who disagrees with me, but my comment in the screenshot crossed a line. A friend brought to my attention that my words could be read as calling a colleague a liar in public, and I agreed. That was an emotional, knee-jerk reaction and poor form. I do not believe Councilwoman Gibson is a dishonest person. I have since apologized to her directly, and I apologize to anyone who felt that my words contributed to division in an already stressful time.
I also want to make clear to the public that, despite the visible debates you sometimes see on the dais, this is a functioning board. The vast majority of items we work on together you may never hear about because, frankly, they’re routine, traffic issues, development decisions, or zoning variances. On these matters, we set aside personal politics and work amicably to get the job done.
That said, I will continue to fight for transparency in our local government. The two recent concerns I raised regarding NEST and NaperPride remain. If city-supported advocacy groups are unable to show humility and accountability, I do believe consequences are warranted.
Like many of you, the assassination of Charlie Kirk has deeply moved me. It has been eye-opening. We all need to do better. Hard conversations are necessary, and disagreements are healthy, but we must resist an “us versus them” mentality. People who disagree with us are not our enemies.
Social media can be a powerful way to share information, but as Mayor Wehrli has warned, it is also designed to divide us. I have long believed nothing can replace face-to-face communication. At the end of the day, relationships are what make our community, and our world, work.
