ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It was a rocky start to the new year for Rochester City Council after a heated exchange between a newly elected councilmember and the newly elected mayor during a Zoom meeting session Tuesday evening.

“This body choosing to give money to the police, in addition to their $95 million budget, is wholly inappropriate," City Councilmember Stanley Martin said during the meeting.

What You Need To Know

  • There was a heated exchange between a newly elected councilmember and the newly elected mayor during a Zoom meeting session Tuesday evening

  • Newly elected Councilmember Stanley Martin expressed concerns over a budget amendment involving RASE funds and alleged that Mayor Evans' administration is "continuing to uphold the systems of white supremacy"

  • The mayor responded, saying that the evocation of white supremacy was "just a bridge too far"

  • Evans and Martin also went back and forth on whether the councilmember interrupted the new mayor

The debate came prior to a vote on amending the 2021-22 budget and authorizing agreements relating to the Trauma Training and Officer Wellness program. It's a plan supported and pushed forward by interim Rochester Police Chief David Smith.

“So I really do want to challenge the narrative that this is the only opportunity that RPD has to access wellness,” Martin said. “When in fact they are given very significant benefits to be able to access wellness. So I still stand by saying that the community should be put first.”

Martin took issue with funding coming from the RASE Commission. She also had some comments that triggered a reaction from Rochester’s new mayor, Malik Evans.

“And I am deeply concerned that this administration is also continuing to uphold the systems of white supremacy that do not put the city of Rochester first," Martin said.

“Jesus, I think Minister Lawrence Evans Sr. will be turning in his grave if his son wanted to uphold white supremacy,” Evans said. “That's just unbelievable to even hear. We're talking about one program that came as a recommendation from RASE. To equate this with white supremacy is, I mean — come on. Let's try to work collaboratively. I think we can have these conversations going forward. But to equate a recommendation that came from the RASE Commission with white supremacy is, I think, just a bridge too far. We can work together — but [if] we're going to work together, I think we have to watch our words.”

Evans and Martin also went back and forth on whether the councilmember interrupted the new mayor.

“I know you’re new, councilmember, but you can’t interrupt — I didn’t interrupt you," Evans said at one point.

“I thought you were done speaking because you paused — so you can finish," Martin said.

“I know I can, thank you, because I have the floor. I have the floor, please,” Evans said. “So I just hope that we can work collaboratively. Councilmember Martin, I look forward to working with you.”

“Mayor Evans, you made a comment about my tone — and we don’t speak this way,” Martin said. “I was very intentional with my words and I would like to work collaboratively with you. And I think that includes not policing my tone and allowing me to speak freely about the things that matter to me and my constituents.”

The president of the City Council suggested that Evans and Martin have a conversation in a separate meeting.

Spectrum News 1 has reached out to Evans, Martin and the City Council president and is awaiting a response.