The City of Hoover has had seven months of tense council meetings, many punctuated by angry confrontations between council members or frustrated residents. Those confrontations nearly all have one common denominator — accusations of secrecy or a lack of transparency and bullying, intimidation and revenge by council president John Lyda.
One such confrontation was caught on camera this week and brought to light when the councilman who came under attack addressed the issue in an email sent to the rest of the council, the mayor, the city manager and city attorneys.
In his email, Councilman Casey Middlebrooks said, "Following last night's council meeting, I was subjected to disrespectful and unprofessional behavior from our Council President."
As previously reported by 1819 News, The Hoover Channel records Hoover City council meetings. This week, the cameras continued to record after the meeting, inadvertently catching a brief but intense encounter in which Lyda confronts Middlebrooks on the dais.
Middlebrooks' email, which bears the subject line "We can do better," includes a photo showing Lyda making a big "L" sign on his forehead as he calls Middlebrooks "a big loser."
The video of the confrontation can be seen here:
Middlebrooks' email repeats what other council members have publicly and privately disclosed about Lyda: "This unfortunate incident is not isolated, as he has repeatedly engaged in personal attacks and threats against my character. Despite my attempts to maintain a professional dialogue, his behavior has become increasingly disrespectful and combative. I am not asking for anything nor am I proposing anything, I am merely relaying what some of us are subjected to. I hope he will choose to rectify his behavior, foster a more collaborative environment, and be the leader I know he can be. In the meantime, I remain committed to serving our city to the best of my ability."
Middlebrooks responded to a text message requesting an interview with "no comment."
Attempts to reach Lyda for comment were unsuccessful.
Apryl Marie Fogel is a Birmingham resident who frequently appears on and guest hosts radio programs around the state. She can be reached at aprylmarie@altoday.com or on X and Facebook at @aprylmarie.
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