It started as a peaceful morning at Riverview Park Saturday as a large group of people showed up as volunteers to collect signatures for the recall to remove Sebastian Council members Damien Gilliams, Charles Mauti, and Pamela Parris.
However, Gilliams showed up and interrupted the meeting by yelling on his bullhorn.
“I was a duly elected official,” Gilliams screamed. “I was elected by the people!”
People from the group asked Gilliams to “go home” and “go back to your bar” before the police showed up. Gilliams told police that the recall group had no permit to be gathering in the park. Gilliams also wanted the group fined.
Standing with Gilliams as he yelled on a bullhorn was Bob Stephens, vice-president of the Sebastian Property Owners Association (SPOA), and Bob Bedea, a director with SPOA where Gilliams still serves as president.
Several minutes later, Gilliams gave up and walked back to the No Name Bar carrying his bullhorn.
The group, calling itself Sebastian Voters Against Gilliams and Parris, will begin collecting signatures sometime after May 20th.
In February, Gilliams confronted the PAC recall group because they didn’t have a disclaimer on their protesting signs. They say he was only there to intimidate.
There’s a special City Council meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. when Gilliams will make a proposal to fire city staff and limit public input as he did during the April 22 secret meeting. Sebastian residents are urged to either attend the meeting in person, or participate virtually on Zoom.
