Woodbury Council Member: “They Are So Racist”

The Woodbury City Council met on April 27 and during the meeting, Council Member Carolyn Ellison called her three fellow members “racist.”

During a public comment session, Ellison said: “I just want to address the other for a minute to give y’ll an update on what’s going on with the mayor and with the city council. And as I have addressed them, and I just want y’all to know and I have also talked with the city council and the mayor several times, and this is my way of basically pleading with them for us to get along. We have to stand.

“And I came to mayor several times while trying to get along so we can move forward. We cannot move forward because everything that was put in place, everything that I just said, it’d be said. Everybody wants a fact check. Everybody wants to go back.”

Then, apparently referring to Council Members Kay Williamson, Kera Summers and Cathy Harbin, Ellison said, “These three women have been so present. They are so racist up here. The only thing again that I’m asking for us to get along. We can’t get along when we bite each other’s head.”

No specific instances of alleged racist comments or actions were mentioned.

During the meeting, the Council approved the city’s insurance renewal, with coverage rollout and premium applied to the city’s budget cycle and tracked for planning next year’s budget.

Police Chief Carnell Earvin said his department was implementing a “ride-along” program and encouraged citizen participation. Earvin said an upcoming change to state law, taking effect July 1, 2027, would adjust permitted tinting on automobile windows to allow 22% tint on front windows and 12% tint on rear windows. He added that digital drivers’ licenses would be accepted on mobile devices, requiring only the license number to be verified by officers. Registration renewal periods would be extended to up to five years.

The Council authorized initiating a sealed bid auction process for wrecked or surplus police vehicles using standard bidding procedures.

The city’s Events Committee reported a successful Easter Egg Hunt on April 4, and said they are organizing a July 4 parade and are seeking volunteers and sponsors.

The next regular meeting of the Woodbury City Council will be Monday, May 25, at 6 p.m. at City Hall.