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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - The turmoil that has gripped the nation sparked in a city council meeting Monday, when Councilman Perry Basile came under fire for sharing a post disparaging the Black Lives Matter movement on social media and other council members were asked if this reflected their opinions.
Council President Jim Velas said resident Matthew Berher sent an email to him and Mayor Kathryn Thalman, as well as to Councilman Frank Sabatino as Berher's ward council representative.
Sabatino read the letter:
"This post ... only serves to discredit, degrade and disparage the all-too-important movement for racial equality," he read. "This attitude from a citizen is unnerving. However, this attitude illustrated on social media by an elected city official is hideous. Is this what we, as the City of St. Clairsville want from a councilman? Is this the image we want to portray to our fellow citizens and potential residents?"
Berher went on to state the post was divisive and referred to the recent termination of an employee of the village of Bellaire for apparent racist comments on social media.
"I sincerely hope this attitude does not reflect the council or city as a whole," he said. "City officials must be held to a higher standard."
Velas emphasized the importance of conduct among city leaders.
"As elected officials ... we've chosen to put ourselves in the public eye," he said. "We have to watch very, very carefully what we choose to say or what we choose to do. ... When you're a member of a group ... that can sometimes come back as a shadow on the reputation of that group. ... I certainly don't condone anything that's held against any individual or any group because of race, religion, political views."
"I found it very disruptive, very inappropriate, and racially insensitive," Sabatino said. "Mr. Basile needs to be held accountable, and I believe he should resign from his council seat."
Councilwoman Linda Jordan, who is African American, said although the post was not Basile's originally, he shared it and expressed his agreement.
"This post actually demeans the Black Lives Matter movement," Jordan said.
She added Basile had made remarks to her which she found snide and had interrupted her during council meetings.
"It leads one to wonder if he has actually issues with people of color," she said.
"The citizens of St. Clairsville deserve better and should not be represented by a person who has these issues."
"This post does not reflect my attitude," Councilwoman Beth Oprisch said, adding she believes in the mission Black Lives Matter. "I believe in Mr. Basile's First Amendment rights, but I believe sharing that post was insensitive."
Councilwoman Terra Butler echoed Oprisch's opinion, saying she did not share the post that appeared on Basile's personal Facebook page but does not view him as racist whatsoever.
Councilman Mark Bukmir said he agreed with Berher's letter.
Basile said he attempted to share a statistical graph and did not see the comment.
"The only thing I saw was the graph ... it didn't say anything one way or another," he said. "I shared the graph. I did not see what the person wrote before. I did put an apology out there. ... I went back and looked at it. I didn't know it was there. ... It was never my intention to be disrespectful to a black lives movement. I'm for it, actually."