Gore City Council Votes Member Out Of Office

Tensions were running high in the town of Gore Tuesday night, where city council members voted one of their own out of office.

That city trustee is now calling for the Attorney General and OSBI to intervene. 

Gideon Miller was voted as Ward 5 Board Trustee in April last year, but because his home isn’t fully inside the Gore city limits, the town’s attorney says Miller’s election is invalid.

Town Attorney Matt Price says that the decision comes from the County Assessor’s office, and there isn’t any leniency within the laws that govern city council members.

People at the meeting say they were disappointed because they were not able to weigh in on the vote until after it happened. 

Several people signed up to address the council, but Town Clerk Lisa Settlemyre says because of the Town Meeting Act, no more than two people could speak on any agenda item.

After the meeting ended, tensions were high when Vice Mayor Larry Pack was escorted out by police after shouting at Miller, saying the city did everything to help him.

“Really, this speaks loudly about how personal and how political this actually is,” Gideon Miller said. “Take it out of Larry Pack’s mouth himself that he knew. He said, ‘I knew, I knew, we already knew.'”

Miller continued, “Well, why did you wait so long then? Why are you just bringing this out now? Why did you let me illegally retain office, then? There’s got to be more to the story.”

Miller says he plans to attend the next meeting.

The town’s attorney says that’s fine, but he’ll be there as a citizen, not a trustee.