Ex-Spring Valley trustee speaks out
- February
- 21
Former Spring Valley Trustee Bettie Brown has said she has personally witnessed Mayor George Darden use profanity towards village clerks.
Darden did not return calls seeking comment, and village officials wouldn’t speak on the matter.
Brown was speaking yesterday during an interview for a story I wrote (which appeared in today’s paper) about Trustee Demeza Delhomme’s request for police presence during workshop meetings.
Delhomme alleged being the victim of a profanity-laced verbal attack by Darden. The trustee also said he witnessed similar verbal attacks by Darden upon former village clerk, Sherry Scott, and the current clerk, Mae Naber.
Brown often was the lone voice of dissent on the board, and often was criticized by Darden for not showing up to board meetings.
Brown said yesterday that she couldn’t come to Village Board meetings for a few months last year because she underwent major surgery. After the surgery, she said, “I did not have peace of mind to come back to the board meetings because of (Darden’s) demeanor, because of his attitude, during the meetings.â€?
But, on one occasion in the fall, the board sent two Spring Valley police officers to her home to collect her to attend a board meeting, she said.
“The police arrived with the resolution they passed to do it … and told me what their business was and I read it and I asked them ‘are you arresting me?’ and they said no, ‘I’ve come to escort you,â€? she recalled.
Even though she missed meetings, Brown said she was always accessible to her constituents and kept up with her duties. Her absence didn’t change the outcome of any votes, she added.
Residents have increasingly been criticizing the Spring Valley Village Board as being dysfunctional.
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