Politics & Government
Mayor Petty Responds To Nguyen's Hiatus
Mayor Petty and Councilor At-Large Mero-Carlson both responded to Nguyen's allegations, and both cited their low meeting attendance.
WORCESTER, MA - Mayor Joseph Petty issued a response to Councilor At-Large Thu Nguyen's decision to take a month-long hiatus amidst alleged LGBTQ+ discrimination, specifically an incident where the mayor misgendered them.
"I would never knowingly say anything harmful, and I firmly believe everyone deserves the dignity of having their identity honored and respected," the mayor said in a press release sent to Patch. " The Councilor today is referencing a moment from a 2022 City Council meeting where I momentarily addressed the Councilor by an incorrect pronoun."
Petty then stated that the concerns Nguyen, the first openly-binary elected official in the Commonwealth, first raised were in response to the decision to mandate in-person attendance for City Council and subcommittee meetings.
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"Councilor Nguyen has missed half of the Traffic and Parking subcommittee meetings and has not held a meeting for the Public Service and Transportation subcommittee that they chair," Petty alleged. " Failing to participate in these essential responsibilities is unacceptable."
Councilor At-Large Candy Mero-Carlson, whom Nguyen alleged referred to them as "it" multiple times, also shared a statement earlier this evening.
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"While I do not recall making the statements in question, I acknowledge that it was a challenging and emotional week where difficult conversations took place." Mero-Carlson then went on to allege that Nguyen has the lowest attendance record of any City Council.
In Petty's statement, he agreed with Nguyen's concern for a safe environment.
"Our city has been working to take measures to ensure the safety of all councilors during public meetings," Petty said. "I will fully comply with any requested processes to support these efforts."
Petty said he will work with the city's administration and the Worcester Police Department to make sure all councilors are safe during public meetings.
"I hear these concerns," Petty said. "I remain committed to being an ally and advocate for every member of our community."
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