WESTON, FLA. (WSVN) - - A Weston commissioner raised concerns after, she said, proclamations recognizing June as Pride Month and Caribbean Heritage Month were suddenly pulled from the agenda, but the city’s mayor said the situation was a misunderstanding.
Cameras showed Weston Commissioner Mary Molina-Macfie as she addressed the rest of the commission, not as an elected official, but as a citizen during a meeting held Monday evening.
“Our community is very diverse here in the City of Weston, and everyone should be able to be heard, seen and acknowledged, including elected officials,” she said.
Molina-Macfie said the moment that made her get up was when she tried to speak up during the meeting.
“Mayor, may I speak?” said Molina-Macfie once she took her seat alongside other commissioners.
“No, we’re going to go on. Thank you,” said Weston Mayor Margaret Brown.
Molina-Macfie said she simply wanted to thank the mayor for declaring two proclamations she had submitted in support of Pride Month and Caribbean Heritage Month.
“Up until this morning, everything was approved, and this morning in my agenda review is when I was told that unfortunately the city’s mayor decided she wasn’t signing them,” said Molina-Macfie.
LGBTQ activist Michael Rajner said the commissioner contacted Equality Florida.
Rajner said he felt compelled to attend the meeting to voice his discontent as well.
“I drove from Wilton Manors today when I learned that the proclamations were actually not going to be originally presented and that they were pulled from consideration on Friday,” he said.
But to his surprise, the commission acknowledged both proclamations before the public comments.
“I do hereby proclaim June 2021 as National Caribbean American Heritage Month in the City of Weston,” said Brown. “I do hereby proclaim June 2021 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month in the City of Weston.”
The mayor’s comments were met with applause from those in attendance.
While Brown declined to speak to reporters after the meeting was over, she offered an explanation during the meeting.
“This was a process and procedural issue, and the city manager and I agreed, until we had convened a workshop, we’d post any proclamations regardless,” she said, “but I apologize, because recognizing people were upset, I needed to let you know that everybody is welcome here in Weston.”
“I’m going to take her at her word. I’m glad she presented them, but obviously she heard the concerns of these communities not being recognized, and I’m glad that she decided to change her mind,” said Rajner.
“I think a big mistake took place, and I think it was corrected,” said Molina-Macfie.
While she did not discuss the matter with reporters, Brown said she is sticking with the comments she made during the meeting.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.