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Councilwoman Mary Parisien reads statement.
Something has gone very wrong in the little city of South Lyon in southwestern Oakland County.
Councilwoman Mary Parisien has obrtained a personal protection order against Councilman Carl Richards, reports WDIV's Nick Monacelli.
"It's important that the community is aware of the facts regarding some harassment that I have been enduring from councilman Richards," Parisien said during a Monday night council meeting.
"On Oct. 31, a local business contacted me to let me know that Carl Richards was in their store and bragging about looking into the windows of my home. He made a series of grossly inappropriate comments about my person, my body and discriminatory comments regarding those of the LGBTQ community."
Because of the protection order, Richards sat in the back of the suburb's council chambers.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Department is investigating, Parisien said, and the municipality is looking into whether Richards violated ethics rules. His photo is removed from the city's website, where all five other council members are shown with email links.
"Making comments about my sexuality, who I am as an individual, how I dress, anything that has to do with me sexually is grossly inappropriate as an individual, but also as a council member -- we are held to higher standards. Carl Richards should not sit on this council. This behavior exhibited by him will only continue, and inevitably it will cost the city and continue to make headlines," said Parisien.
