CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Accusations fly and so does part of a gavel, as things get heated at a Cambridge Commissioner meeting, on Monday.
Fireworks at this weeks Cambridge City Commissioner meeting when the Commission President slammed her gavel and abruptly ended one person's public comments.
Mya Woods, a community member, tells us she was addressing the mayoral election and wrongdoing that she believes took place. Woods says, "Citizens, around town, feel as though the election was rigged by council members by giving cell phone numbers of the community members to a person running for mayor. They didn't give their permission for that."
When Woods ended her statement, Commissioner Sputty Cephas spoke. However, the gavel was slammed when Woods spoke again. Commission President Lajan Cephas says, it was because Woods did not ask to speak again.
Lajan Cephas' gavel hit the desk three times. She then said, "Go, Go, Go." To which Woods replied, "Have a great day". Lajan Cephas then said, "Thank you very much. You have used your time".
When asked Wednesday about the accusations, Lajan Cephas said, "As far as this emergency contact list, I'm not aware of any list the city has. This person has a campaign team. They purchased software that's called GOTV."
Woods says she has been coming to city meetings since 2020. She believes she is an advocate for those in the city and her generation. Woods says, "What did I say that triggered a response like that? That could've been a teachable moment for me. If I did do anything wrong, that could've been the perfect moment to say, okay this is what you're doing and this is how you should have done it".
Lajan Cephas says, she was trying to establish order in the meeting. "There has to be order, there has to be discipline, and there has to be accountability. I have that power and ability because I run the meeting to bring order back to the meeting," says Lajan Cephas.
The run-off election for mayor, in Cambridge, is next Tuesday. The next Cambridge Commission meeting is set for Sept. 26.