Burlington City Councilor Karen Paul (D-Ward 6) announced on Thursday that she had quit her job so she could vote on the Burlington Telecom sale.
Paul, a staff accountant with the accounting firm McSoley McCoy & Co., announced the decision in an email to other councilors and Mayor Miro Weinberger. She resigned three days after she recused herself, citing a professional conflict, from Monday’s vote about BT’s future. Her recusal forced the council to reschedule a vote on a winning BT bidder — either the co-op Keep BT Local or Canadian company Tucows — until next Monday, November 6.
“This morning, effective tomorrow, I have resigned my position with my employer which was the source of that professional conflict,” Paul wrote in the email sent around 4 p.m. Thursday. “I intend to vote on the sale of BT assets on Monday evening.”
When Paul recused herself during Monday’s meeting, she said little about her conflict of interest. She did say it had come to light over the weekend and that the issue “has nothing whatsoever to do with the parties interested in purchasing Burlington Telecom.”
Paul was expected to cast her vote for the Toronto-based Tucows and was part of a contingent of five councilors that visited the company’s headquarters last Friday.
Councilors, too, were unsure about the nature of the conflict, council president Jane Knodell (P-Central District) said on Thursday morning, before the news had been released.
“It’s hard to know how serious the nature of the conflict is,” Knodell said. “The timing of the discovery of the conflict is hard for me to understand.”
According to Knodell, councilors are not required to specify what the conflict is in order to recuse themselves.
Later Thursday, it didn’t matter.
“After eight years of working to address Burlington Telecom’s challenges … I never imagined that I would find myself in a position where I would not be able to cast a vote on this most important decision,” Paul wrote in her email. “I have worked to identify ways to resolve the conflict and have determined that there is only one way I can resolve the conflict,” she said, referring to the resignation.
City attorney Eileen Blackwood “informed me that I may join the debate on this agenda item,” Paul added.
Mayor Miro Weinberger lauded her decision. “Karen is an extremely hardworking and devoted City Councilor,” Weinberger said in a written statement to Seven Days. “Her resignation shows just how committed she is to Burlington.”
Paul has worked at the accounting firm since January 2016, according to her bio on the company website. Partners at the company declined to comment. Paul did not respond to requests for comment.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
@ BradD – most of us in Burlington would love to buy a house in Ward 6. But thanks to policies passed at a local and federal level by centrist Dems and their GOP allies, most of us will never be able to afford owning a home.
The history books will look kindly on the Councilor who went so far as to quit her job so that she could ensure the firesale of priceless infrastructure to a private bidder.
More and more everyday I wonder how I ever voted for a Dem, local or national. It seems that Dems only develop spines when it’s time to vote against the public interest. I can’t wait until March
Councilor Paul’s supposed “resignation” may in fact be just temporary.
No notice?
Very strange.
Does she have another means of income?
If she had a job conflict, why was she so coy during her recusal? Why didn’t she simply say so from the start?
Councilor Dave Hartnett is right – she should have disclosed this alleged conflict a long time ago.
If she “just became aware of it,” as she claims, how did she so learn? Who brought it to her attention, and when?
So many questions, so few answers.
Democrats rigging system, (again.)
Down to Councilors Wright and Hartnett.
Think long term – Vote KBTL!
@Barbara Alsop
“It looks like nothing more than grandstanding, and I’m only sad I don’t live in a place where I could vote against her.”
So buy a house in her ward and vote against her. Sounds pretty easy!
I applaud Karen Paul for recognizing a conflict and recusing herself, and then making a tough decision because she wants to continue to try to right BT. Public ownership alrwady robbed Burlington taxpayers of 17 million under Kiss. A 14% interestvrate sure points to a poor chance of success. But hey Barb and Mark are all for spending taxpayers money on a poor business plan. I for one am sick of paying for the mistakes and fiscally irresponsible decisions of others
Karen Paul obviously has another job already lined up, or at least in the offing. Her nobility (?) in quitting her job may endear her to some, but it smacks of political gamesmanship and suggests she may think this will boost her to higher office. She ought to think again. It looks like nothing more than grandstanding, and I’m only sad I don’t live in a place where I could vote against her. That’s okay. I have two targets in my own ward.
She effectively mis-represented her constituents during all these months with her political power given to her by those living in Ward 6, and suddenly now she quits a job and everything is just fine? She should be brought up on an ethics charge and considered by her fellow councilors for a reprimand and possible removal from office. And if she votes for the monied interests, will there be a big financial bonus by these very interests to ‘further her career”?
Such great news to know the dedication of our city councilors. I pray they’ll vote for Ting so all Burlington taxpayers will be able to enjoy state of the art internet service. I’m so grateful to the mayor and council for bringing a huge mess to a wonderful conclusion. A vote for KBTL is a vote to kill BT and force taxpayers into funding huge lawsuits. It’s not local if I have no choice but Comcast. BT needs to serve all of Burlington! KBTL won’t and this taxpayer is tired of paying for internet I cannot have. Thank you to Karen Paul for choosing to put Burlington over her career!
How conveen-ient…