Cromar Calls for Gygi to Resign

March 22, 2016  –  By Harlow Clark 

During the February 16 council meeting, as part of public comment, Ken Cromar of Cedar Hills Citizens for Responsible Government cited the October 18 Golf Course Finance Committee meeting as an example of Mayor Gary Gygi’s so called abuse of power.  (see CH Mayor Gary Gygi vs. First Amendemtn and Utah Open Public Meetings Law )

In public comment two weeks later on March 1, Cromar brought up the meeting again.

Cromar said he appreciated the council’s change in the previous meeting to the ordinance regarding photography and recordings of public meetings because that ordinance “had caused much abuse, none of which has been apologized for.”  (see STATEMENT: Ken & Barbara Cromar: Mayor harassed & bullied us with illegal Ordinance )

He said he was bringing the matter up because the city’s Facebook chatroom had been humming and smoking with the issue all day, and a lot of residents had a false impression of how hostile the crowd had been to him that night, hostile enough that a member of the city council called the police to protect him.

Cromar invited the mayor to make an apology.

The mayor demurred, “You know this is not a time for dialogue. You’re welcome to come speak with me any time and we can have that discussion.”   

“Are you sure there’s nothing that you’d like to say, Mayor, to correct the record?” asked Cromar.  “Is there anything that you’d choose to write by way of a letter of apology, anything that you’d do, that you’d—there’s so many Boy Scouts that came into this room and think that their mayor was actually protecting the city, and indeed the mayor was actually breaking his constitutional oath.  Is there anything you’d care to say?” Cromar added.

“This is your time, not my time,” the mayor said.

For the lack of apology, Cromar said, “Therefore, I will add my voice to that of Curt Crosby and Sam Bushman who have asked for your resignation.  (see ON AIR: Radio host call for CH Mayor resignation)  Mayor, you are unfit for this position.  You have demonstrated immense capacity for abuse of power, for misstating issues, for not documenting issues, for misrepresenting other people’s positions  (see Mrs. Smart to Mayor Gygi: "…You don't have any integrity" – MELTDOWN ), and I would be grateful if you would do this community a favor and allow room for a mayor who actually will serve the citizens of this community.  Thank you for your time.”

“Thank you very much, always a pleasure,” Gygi replied, turning his attention to reports from council members.

Toward the end of the reports, Gygi said, “Mr. Cromar, I’ve been thinking about what you said.”  He invited Cromar to come and see him some Thursday morning, without recording equipment, and talk about areas where each thinks they are owed an apology.  “Maybe we can come to a meeting of minds,” Gygi added.

Cromar made a counter offer, a debate for two hours on the radio, so it would be documented.  “You’ve certainly mis-represented me and who I am,” Cromar said, adding, “You don’t have the courage to stand up for what you think is right.” (see xxx)

“Public comment’s over, Mr. Cromar,” stated Gygi.

“Do you reject the offer?” asked Cromar.

“There is no way I’m ever going on your little radio show ever,” the mayor said.

“You owe this community a huge apology, sir,” Cromar said to the mayor, when told again that his time was up, “way up”.

“Likewise,” the mayor replied.

Following his report, Council Member Rob Crawley read a statement about free speech and the constitution, saying he thought the city never should have had restrictions on filming.  He offered Cromar a personal apology for anything he had done to harass Cromar.  (see CH Councilman Crawley reads Official APOLOGY Statement )

Mayor Gygi replied with “some background on the ordinance we changed,” saying it was crafted when the council was meeting in the old fire station, in a cramped room, and the city wanted to make sure people could get out of the room in an emergency without cameras begin in the way.  

(Harlow Clark's article is not available on-line, but transcribed here.  Timpanogos Times is a bi-monthly FREE newspaper available at Macey's and other outlets.)

.