Freeport City Council Rejects Attempt to Censure Alderwoman Cecelia Stacy After Heated and Deeply Divided Meeting

June 02, 2026 — Freeport City Hall

Monday night’s Freeport City Council meeting became one of the most emotionally charged and politically revealing meetings the city has seen in years as an attempt to formally censure Fifth Ward Alderwoman Cecelia Stacy ultimately failed after hours of public criticism, accusations of intimidation, debates over race and respect, and growing concerns surrounding the culture developing inside Freeport City Hall.

By the time the vote was finally called on Resolution #R-2026-81, the chambers had become a public referendum not simply on Alderwoman Stacy’s conduct, but on transparency, accountability, professionalism, and public trust itself.

And in the end, the resolution failed.

Heavy Police Presence Immediately Draws Attention

Before discussion of the censure resolution even began, many residents entering City Hall immediately noticed the unusually large police presence throughout the building.

At least five Freeport Police officers, including newly appointed Police Chief Jacquelyn Frausto serving as Sergeant-at-Arms, were stationed inside council chambers during the meeting. Additional officers remained positioned throughout the lobby area.

For many longtime residents and regular attendees, the scene felt familiar.

Over the past two years, controversial meetings involving major political disagreements or emotionally charged public debate have increasingly featured expanded police presence despite the absence of violence, credible threats, or documented safety concerns.

Critics have long argued the practice creates an atmosphere of intimidation rather than public engagement.

Supporters of the additional security, however, argue the city has an obligation to maintain order during contentious meetings and protect public employees from escalating confrontations.

Still, the optics Monday night became impossible to ignore.

Residents openly questioned why so many officers were assigned to City Hall while neighborhoods across Freeport continue struggling with crime, staffing shortages, and delayed response concerns.

Resolution Targets Alderwoman Stacy Over Neighborhood Watch Meeting

The controversy centered around Resolution #R-2026-81, introduced by Alderpersons Tom Klemm and Joy Sellers.

The resolution sought to formally censure Alderwoman Stacy over her alleged conduct during a Fifth Ward Neighborhood Watch meeting held on May 19, 2026.

According to the memo submitted to council, Stacy allegedly “berated and publicly criticized” a responding police officer, created “unnecessary tension,” damaged morale, and contributed to eroding public confidence in government leadership.

The resolution also referenced a prior censure effort considered in 2025 that was ultimately suspended after council members expressed hope that future conduct concerns could be resolved without formal disciplinary action.

But almost immediately, the narrative presented in the resolution began facing significant public pushback.

Residents Who Attended Meeting Directly Contradict Allegations

The first speaker during public comment was an elderly Fifth Ward resident identified as Joe, who stated plainly that he had personally attended the Neighborhood Watch meeting in question.

Holding up the memo submitted by Sellers and Klemm, he challenged the accuracy of the claims being presented to council.

“I know that whoever did this report was not at the meeting,” he stated. “She never ever berated any of the police officer. She never did anything against any council member.”

After the audience applauded his remarks, Mayor Jodi Miller quickly reminded attendees to remain quiet during the meeting.

Another Fifth Ward resident, Jeannie, also stated she attended the meeting and similarly rejected the characterization being used in the resolution.

“Berate is a huge word,” she told council. “I was there and it was just a discussion.”

“I know sometimes she can be passionate, but I didn’t see anything inappropriate.”

Speaker after speaker questioned why council members who were not present at the meeting were attempting to formally punish someone based primarily on secondhand accounts.

Public Questions Motives Behind Resolution

Community activist Akia Sanders questioned why the issue had escalated to the council floor at all.

Sanders reminded council members that freedom of speech applies to everyone and argued that there appears to be an ongoing culture of division, bullying, and political targeting within local government.

She further stated that Alderwoman Stacy has frequently found herself fighting alone for issues impacting residents throughout the community.

As tensions continued rising inside chambers, criticism of council leadership intensified.

Fighting4Freeport Chairman Calls for Accountability Across Entire Council

Fighting4Freeport Chairman Joshua T. Atkinson delivered one of the evening’s most direct criticisms of the council during public comment.

“I wasn’t at the meeting,” Atkinson stated, “but I read Joy Sellers and Tom Klemm’s piece about it and the one thing that really stuck out to me was accusing her of eroding public trust in this government.”

“You guys all need to hold up a mirror to your faces.”

Atkinson referenced multiple past controversies involving council members over recent years, arguing that nearly every elected official in the room had at some point contributed to public distrust through their own actions or conduct.

While acknowledging that he and Stacy do not always agree politically or personally, Atkinson defended what he described as her genuine passion for the city.

“She cares so much for this community, for not just her ward, but for all of Freeport.”

He further criticized council leadership for pursuing formal punishment rather than first attempting direct conversation or mediation.

“You guys have the votes to do whatever you want,” he said. “You don’t have to keep beating dogs when they’re down.”

“Do something better for the city.”

Public Comment Restrictions Create Additional Frustration

Tensions escalated further when resident Windy Pearson attempted to speak but had not signed the public comment sheet before it was removed by the City Clerk.

Despite reminders from audience members and even Alderwoman Rachel Simmons that exceptions had frequently been made during previous meetings, Mayor Miller refused to allow Pearson to speak.

When Pearson protested, Miller threatened warnings and removal from chambers.

At one point, Alderwoman Simmons openly questioned the inconsistency.

“I haven’t had a warning and I have seen you in every meeting let people come and talk,” Simmons stated into her microphone. “Why is it different today?”

Mayor Miller refused to directly answer the question and instead stated, “We are going to move on.”

Council Discussion Raises More Questions Than Answers

During council discussion, Alderperson Klemm openly acknowledged that he had not attended the May 19 Neighborhood Watch meeting himself.

Sellers later referenced conversations allegedly shared during another Neighborhood Watch meeting involving an officer whose “feelings were hurt” following the interaction with Stacy.

The situation became more controversial when Police Chief Frausto was invited to address council.

Rather than limiting her comments strictly to factual information regarding the incident itself, Frausto delivered an extended statement focused on leadership, professionalism, respect toward officers, and her personal interactions with Stacy following the meeting.

Frausto stated that she contacted Stacy by phone following the incident and revealed that another individual had been listening to the conversation inside her office without Stacy’s knowledge.

The revelation immediately raised concerns among some attendees regarding professionalism and transparency.

Frausto further implied that Stacy’s behavior during the phone conversation had become so concerning that she offered to send assistance to her.

To several residents and council members, the comments appeared to shift from discussing conduct into publicly questioning Stacy’s emotional stability.

Audience reactions visibly shifted during the presentation, with many attendees rolling their eyes, whispering among themselves, or checking their watches as the speech continued.

Simmons Forcefully Challenges Both Council and Police Chief

Alderwoman Simmons delivered one of the strongest rebuttals of the evening.

“We don’t know what happened,” Simmons stated. “We’re all going for hearsay and none of us were there except for the audience members who spoke and said this is not what happened.”

Simmons directly criticized the Police Chief’s comments regarding Stacy’s emotional state and the decision to have another individual listening to the phone call without Stacy’s knowledge.

“That was totally disrespectful and out of line,” Simmons said.

“But we’re not here censuring you and we all just witnessed that on public record.”

Simmons also referenced Mayor Miller’s own conduct during the meeting, arguing that selective enforcement and inconsistent standards were becoming increasingly obvious.

“You may not like Alderperson Stacy and that’s fine,” Simmons stated. “But when we take moves like this, it affects all of us.”

“It sets the precedent so that none of us can ask questions of officers without being met with a censure and the chief questioning our mental stability in front of the town.”

Stacy Rejects Allegations and Addresses Racial Stereotypes

When Alderwoman Stacy finally addressed council directly, emotions inside chambers reached their peak.

“This is a blatant lie,” Stacy stated firmly.

“All these allegations are allegations.”

Stacy described the May 19 Neighborhood Watch meeting as productive and welcoming and denied nearly every accusation presented in the resolution.

“The officer was welcomed with open arms,” she stated.

She also strongly rejected efforts to characterize her as unstable, disrespectful, or aggressive simply because she speaks passionately.

“You know how I can be,” Stacy repeated sarcastically before responding directly to the implication.

“What does that mean? Passionate for my ward? Caring for the people?”

“You will not label me as that black angry woman. I’m not your black angry woman.”

The chamber fell largely silent as Stacy continued defending both her character and her commitment to her ward.

“I am a person that was elected by my peers that took on a position and have a job to do,” she stated. “And I’m going to do my job.”

Resolution Fails After Tie Vote

After lengthy debate, the vote was finally called.

Johnson: No
Simmons: No
Stacy: No
Shadle: Aye
Sellers: Aye
Klemm: Aye

With council tied, Mayor Miller cast the deciding vote in favor of the censure resolution.

However, the resolution still failed because five affirmative votes were required for passage and only four were obtained.

For Stacy supporters, the failed resolution represented a rejection of what they viewed as political targeting, intimidation, hearsay, and selective enforcement.

For supporters of the resolution, the vote represented a missed opportunity to address concerns regarding professionalism and conduct within city leadership.

Final Public Comments Reignite Debate Over Leadership and Respect

The final public comment period proved equally intense.

Windy Pearson returned to the podium and spoke forcefully about what she described as longstanding systemic issues inside Freeport government.

“The Department of Justice has been here two times,” Pearson reminded the room.

She then described frustrations attempting to obtain police assistance during a recent domestic battery situation, claiming she encountered severe staffing shortages and unavailable officers.

“If we want to talk about people being disrespected,” she said, “let’s start with the mayor who rolls her eyes on a regular basis.”

Pearson also referenced prior incidents involving alleged insults and physical confrontations involving elected officials that never resulted in formal disciplinary action.

After exceeding her allotted speaking time, Pearson was ultimately removed from chambers by Chief Frausto.

Young Resident Delivers One of Evening’s Most Memorable Moments

One of the evening’s most impactful moments came from Brianna Simmons, daughter of Alderwoman Rachel Simmons, who attended her first council meeting Monday night.

Addressing both council and the audience, the young resident sharply criticized the professionalism displayed throughout the evening.

“This is embarrassing guys,” she stated. “This is a shame.”

She specifically challenged repeated descriptions of Stacy as “feisty,” warning council members to be careful with language that can carry racial implications.

She also criticized logical inconsistencies in arguments made by supporters of the resolution and encouraged residents to educate themselves politically and become more involved locally.

“Open your eyes,” she told the public.

“Get more people here to see this mess of a council that we have.”

Her remarks quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the evening.

Meeting Exposes Deepening Divide Inside Freeport City Hall

Fighting4Freeport Chairman Atkinson delivered the final public comment of the night.

While thanking the city for recent mosquito spraying efforts and commending Alderwoman Linda Johnson for opposing the resolution, Atkinson returned to what had become the central issue of the evening: consistency.

Atkinson described a brief interaction during the meeting in which he quietly asked an officer whether the officer involved in the controversy was present.

According to Atkinson, the officer rolled his eyes and ignored the question entirely.

“If we are serious about how we expect people to be treated in this town,” Atkinson stated, “there you go.”

“I don’t want to see him punished. I’m not a bully. But that’s not okay.”

He concluded by warning council against creating a political culture centered around punishing hurt feelings while far more serious issues facing the city remain unresolved.

Then, after a brief pause, Atkinson delivered what quickly became one of the most talked about lines of the evening.

“If we’re going to start punishing everybody for hurt feelings…”

“Hold my beer.”