Days after Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson ordered the removal of three sign-toting residents from a council meeting, a prankster went on a fundraising platform to poke fun at her expense.
The organizer or Concerned Gilbert Citizens started a GoFundMe campaign Sept. 23 to “Help Mayor Brigette Peterson Earn Her Education!”
The goal was for the mayor to be schooled in the how to do her job and it was perhaps a dig at Peterson’s lack of a college degree..
So how much education did the organizer think Peterson need? Well, apparently $2,070 worth.
At one point, donors gave $170 before the campaign was removed. The site was also being promoted by town residents on social media.
“I can confirm the fundraiser was removed because it violated our terms of service, specifically the prohibited conduct section,” said Melanie Yost, spokeswoman for GoFundMe. “All donors have been refunded.”
Yost declined to say who asked the site be taken down.
GoFundMe basically bans fundraisers that support hate, violence, harassment, bullying, discrimination or involves weaponry.
A request to Peterson’s aide for comment from the mayor was not responded to.
“The Gilbert community has observed the mayor’s day-to-day struggles performing the basic job requirements of her role as mayor,” the fundraiser read. “Being the mayor of Gilbert is a demanding job, which often requires knowledge of reading, writing, arithmetic, science, history, economics and more.
“It is our sincere hope that by obtaining a post-secondary education, Mayor Brigette may also develop the personal communications skills, knowledge of political systems, and ability to think critically, all of which are key competencies of an effective mayor.”
Peterson, said during her mayoral campaign that she has life and job experiences instead.
Peterson at the Sept. 20 meeting ordered police to remove three residents who had signs that read, “Stop Lying” and “Don’t Mesa My Gilbert.”
Two of the residents were standing with their backs to the wall silently holding up their signs while another was quietly seated. Other audience members also had signs displayed on the table in front of them but were not asked to leave.
Peterson later explained that it was her duty as mayor to maintain decorum at meetings and that police had notified audience members that they would be allowed to bring the signs into the room “but that they could not be held up nor disrupt the meeting.”
This is the first time in recent history that people were escorted out of a Gilbert council meeting for carrying signs.
At least one resident has filed an ethics violation complaint against the mayor over her decision to eject the three individuals.
