Sag Harbor Mayor Ignore Calls to Resign After Anti-LGBT Web Trolling

Four village trustees passed a formal resolution calling for the mayor’s resignation after the board also voted to censure him following a monthlong internal probe into the controversy. Gardella was the only member of the board to oppose the measures.

“I will not resign from the office of mayor,” Gardella told the board during its April 14 meeting, noting that he is willing to undergo sensitivity training. “That is not going to happen. You have me confused with somebody else. I’m not the guy that runs from a crisis. I’m the guy that runs into it.”

South Texas animal rights activist Rebecca Chavez had tracked the mayor down and alerted the village after Gardella mocked Chavez’s wife while the couple danced in a March 9 video posted on Instagram. Gardella initially tried to suggest people were misconstruing his comment, arguing that he was referring to a dog that appeared in the video, not Chavez’ short-haired spouse, but ultimately apologized.

The board cited the incident, which violated social media policy, and allegations that the mayor gave raises to employees without board approval in the call for his resignation. A village administrator also resigned, citing the mayor’s behavior in village hall.

“Such conduct by the highest-ranking official in the village serves to polarize the community, erode public trust in the neutrality of the village government, and create a hostile environment that undermines the board’s mission to serve all residents,” the resolution stated. “The investigation finds these actions constitute a breach of the fiduciary and ethical duties owed to the residents and employees of the village and deviate from the standard of conduct expected by the board of trustees.”

Residents who spoke at the meeting were split on whether they wanted the mayor to resign.

“I would ask the mayor to really go through what’s been presented to him tonight and to not be pugilistic in taking it to heart and to really wonder whether you can lead with all this that’s transpired,” one resident said. “I feel badly for you. I feel badly for the village. But I really hope you think about it long and seriously about whether or not you are the person to lead us going forward.”