The chair of the Atlantic City MUA Board was removed Wednesday, following two nights and more than 10 hours of testimony and debate.
In a 4-3 vote, City Council backed claims by current MUA Executive Director Michael Armstrong and predecessor Bruce Ward that Devlin interfered in the daily operations authority and push his own agenda.
“The outcome was disappointing,” Devlin told BreakingAC. “I will review with my attorney and make decisions regarding moving forward.”
The three who voted against the removal — LaToya Dunston, Jesse Kurtz, and Bruce Weekes — were the same three who voted against the hearings.
“I feel like the decision was already made before we had the hearing,” Dunston said.
Allegations had been made that the move was a vendetta brought by Mayor Marty Small for Devlin’s stance concerning the superintendent search that picked Small’s wife, Dr. La’Quetta Small, along with an investigation into the employment of her cousin, who is serving a federal prison sentence for child pornography involving a student he met while a substitute teacher.
Weekes, who ran on Small’s ticket, expressed disappointment in the decision to go after Devlin.
Small has denied the claims and was not involved in the hearing. He declined to comment after the vote.
While the two nights of hearings were about Devlin, the proceedings ended with City Council President George Tibbitt calling for a new investigation into a council member.
Dunston was vocal about her frustration with how the hearings were handled. She insisted on asking questions, which council solicitor Robert Tarver told her was not allowed.
He said he could answer questions on procedure but not related to testimony, which was the job of the attorneys who presented witnesses and evidence.
“There’s no one to ask questions of because the witnesses have already spoken,” Tarver told her.
But he did give her a chance to make a 30-second statement. That is what sparked a strong reaction from Tibbitt.
“All I heard was what was stated,” Dunston begins before she cuts off.
Then, another woman’s voice is heard: “Say, for the last two nights all I …”
At that point, the voice cuts off and there is silence.
“I’m sorry, you were cutting me off, Mr. Tarver,” Dunston then says.
“No, I did not,” he replies.
Tibbitt later confirmed from Tarver that the meeting was recorded and asked that an investigation be launched.
While he did not name Dunston at that time, he did in a conversation with BreakingAC after the meeting.
“She clearly got caught with outsiders telling her what to say and everything else,” he said in a phone call. “I don’t care how the vote went but I care about the integrity of that. What she did was jeopardize the integrity of all that took place.”
Tibbitt also alleged that “this happens every meeting.”
“She got busted tonight, there’s no doubt about it,” he continued. “It’s unethical and it’s embarrassing.”
Dunston declined to comment at this time.
