By: ALAYSIA EZZARD
Courtesy of Kyla Clark
Laurel Councilmember Kyla Clark (Ward 2) has been receiving criticism from residents as well as her colleagues on the council, but that isn’t stopping her from performing her duties.
“My initial goal for running was to provide diversity on the council. That comes with diverse perspectives, and I’m going to continue to go forward with that diverse perspective whether that be a female perspective, whether that be a Black woman perspective,” Clark said, in an interview. “I want to make sure that that’s contributed to this council in whatever that looks like.”
At the Sept. 23 Laurel city council meeting, Clark discussed two instances where she felt her integrity had been questioned.
The first instance Clark discussed occurred in July, after she was the first to motion the appointment of Adrian Simmons to the vacant Ward 1 seat on the council. Afterward, a resident told Clark face-to-face that she was “a ‘traitor and not for the people,’ being the African American community in Laurel,” Clark said. Clark stated that she assumed that the resident was referring to the city’s Black population, as Simmons is a white man.
The second instance Clark discussed occurred in September.
“On Sept. 10, I received a text message meant for someone else that stated, ‘she is not like us,’ and that ‘I don’t mind disrespecting the Black man’ because I listened to ‘one white lady complaining’ as they said it,” Clark said, noting the text was in reference to discussion of the appointment of Monta Burrough as the director of the Laurel Department of Economic and Community Development at the council meeting on Sept. 9. Two councilmembers abstained and three voted in favor of Burrough’s appointment, including Clark.
During the Sept. 23 council meeting, Mayor Keith Sydnor confirmed that he texted Clark the text, saying that he sent it by mistake. He sought to apologize to Clark by text, phone call and in a letter. He again apologized to Clark during the council meeting.
“I was very frustrated because of the appointment of Mr. Burrough … there was some things going on and like any human being, I made a mistake, I got frustrated,” Sydnor said. “I sent a text message just to talk to a mutual friend of ours about the situation and end up sending the text message to councilman Clark and I tried to apologize to councilman Clark.”
Simmons said the council was aware of the situation and remained committed to working together.
“One of the things I think that can serve us well in this process, is the ability to listen to each other, seek out our commonalities and find ways to overcome any difficulties,” Simmons said in an interview. “It is hard work, requires vulnerability, candor, courage and more. But it is the only path to help Laurel grow to fulfill its great potential and deepen the ties that bind us all together. I believe the members of council, the mayor and others have a commitment to this path, and I know I am committed to it myself.”
At the meeting, Clark, who is Black, talked about the importance of diversity in leadership, suggesting that it leads to well-rounded policymaking.
“I’m going to take your accusations that I am not Black enough as a challenge and an opportunity to remind us all why diversity is critical,” Clark said. “Moving forward, I urge us as a city to focus on what truly matters, serving the people of this city. So, let’s move past diverse rhetoric and instead come together to celebrate our differences and find strength in our shared commitment to making this community a better place for all.”
Councilmember Clark and Burroughs are both quoted in our article on Mayor Keith Sydnor’s first year in office.
