Mayor Threatens to Remove Councilwoman During Fayetteville AI Clash

A discussion about artificial intelligence turned into a heated confrontation at the Fayetteville City Council meeting on Thursday, September 17, at Fayetteville City Hall, with one councilwoman questioning another’s professional credentials and Mayor Ed Johnson threatening to have Councilwoman Shannon Moultrie escorted from the chambers as she attempted to defend herself.

The conflict erupted during discussion of a proposed AI Advisory Committee, an initiative City Manager Ray Gibson said was intended to provide education and information about artificial intelligence to residents and businesses.

But the discussion quickly shifted from whether the committee was needed to whether Moultrie, who had helped develop the proposal, had the professional background to support it.

Councilwoman Dr. Niyah Glover questioned how the city could assure residents that information coming from the proposed committee would be credible.

“From my knowledge, the actual proponent, being the council member, don’t have a — and correct me if I’m wrong — a law degree, or don’t have any background in computer sciences,” Glover said. “How am I ensuring that this information will be credible when presenting in these educational forums or workshops?”

Moultrie immediately disputed that characterization.

“I hold a juris master degree from Emory Law School,” Moultrie said. “That is an American Bar Association law degree. So to state that council member doesn’t have a law degree, just because maybe someone is unfamiliar with that law degree that was honored to me, and after hard-earned work, does not negate the fact that it is present, and I did earn it, and I do have it.”

She also said she owns a technology company where she works with AI and other evolving technology.

Glover continued questioning the company, saying she had tried to verify it.

“So the council member just stated that she has a business, an LLC. I couldn’t find that,” Glover said. “So if I cannot verify your business or all of those different types of things, to say that you’re in this particular area, then I can’t.”

Moultrie responded by giving the website for Future Proof for Legal.

Later in the discussion, Moultrie gave the company’s Georgia Secretary of State control number and said Future Proof for Legal LLC was active and compliant with the state.

Earlier council dispute surfaces

The confrontation also brought an earlier City Council controversy back into the discussion.

During public comment on the AI proposal, a citizen compared the scrutiny of Moultrie’s business to questions Moultrie had previously raised about Same House when its Executive Director Pastor Al Mead came before the council seeking a resolution of support.

Moultrie had questioned whether Same House was a nonprofit. Same House is a Community Development Corporation, a different organizational designation.

The citizen questioned why the legitimacy of Moultrie’s business had become an issue when Moultrie’s earlier questions about Same House’s organizational status had been treated differently.

Two people who spoke with The Citizen on condition of anonymity said they believed Thursday’s questioning of Moultrie was connected to that earlier Same House discussion. One of those sources characterized Moultrie’s questioning during the earlier meeting as adversarial.

The Citizen has not independently established that retaliation was the motive behind Thursday’s questioning.

One person present for Thursday’s meeting described the latest confrontation as “ugly.”

“It was while she was trying to defend herself,” the source said, “that’s when Mayor Johnson was telling her to basically cease and desist, and that’s when he did threaten to have officers escort her out of chambers.”

The official meeting transcript independently documents Johnson threatening to have Moultrie escorted from the chambers as she continued responding during the dispute.

‘I’m not going to let you finish’

The dispute intensified after Moultrie returned to the comparison raised by the citizen. The exchange moved quickly, with Moultrie and Johnson repeatedly interrupting and talking over each other as voices rose.

“Thank you so much, and I really appreciate you doing the comparison analysis a second ago, because what it did was that just as they did seek to look to see the difference between a nonprofit and a for-profit,” Moultrie began.

Councilman Joe Clark interrupted to ask, “Who is they? Who is who?”

Moultrie began responding, referring to Glover, while Johnson tried to stop the exchange.

“No, I’m not going to let you finish,” Johnson said.

Moultrie continued speaking, saying, “I have an active business.”

Johnson spoke over her, objecting to what he described as “innuendos and inferences” directed toward other council members.

“I’m going to reclaim my time, and I’m going to state for the record,” Moultrie said as the two continued talking over one another.

“I’m going to ask the officers to escort you out,” Johnson said.

“Mayor, Mayor, you’re inappropriate,” Moultrie responded.

“Your comments are inappropriate,” Johnson said.

“You’re very inappropriate,” Moultrie said.

The confrontation lasted only moments before Johnson moved the meeting back to public comment, but the rapid interruptions and overlapping voices marked a sharp departure from the otherwise procedural discussion.

Debate over the AI committee

Before the conflict over Moultrie’s credentials, Johnson and Councilman Darryl Langford had questioned whether another city committee was necessary.

Gibson said the proposed 15-member AI Advisory Committee would primarily serve as an educational and informational resource for residents and businesses, bringing together people with technical expertise, business experience, and other perspectives.

Johnson questioned whether city staff could handle that work internally and said he believed the proposal was premature because details such as bylaws and the committee’s structure had not yet been fully developed.

Langford raised concerns about creating another initiative when existing committees also require city resources.

Moultrie disagreed, arguing that an external committee could bring residents, businesses, and professionals together without relying exclusively on city staff.

“We are bringing the community together with, and we’re facing very difficult questions, and don’t shy away from them,” Moultrie said.

She said the city had an opportunity to build “more confidence than fear” around AI and to help businesses and younger residents understand a technology increasingly affecting their futures.

Resident Jalen Hicks, who identified himself as having a background in data engineering, computer science, and data science, raised concerns about the reliability of AI and potential liability if the city were advising businesses on its use.

Councilman Emmett Spurlock, who said he has a computer science degree, argued that the speed at which technology changes was itself a reason for the city to begin addressing the issue.

The AI committee resolution ultimately failed on a 2–3 vote.

Moultrie defends her voice

Near the end of the meeting, when council members were given time for individual comments, Moultrie returned to what had happened.

“I would like to say, first of all, thank you to the citizens,” Moultrie said. “I share with you that one of the most powerful things you have is your voice.”

“Tonight, I defended two things that I’m very proud of: my education. Valid, my business, very valid, and I proudly do it, and will do it every single day on behalf of me sitting, half of you, half of myself, because we are in this together,” she said.

“And when one person is silent, rest assured, someone else can be too.”

Johnson followed with his own comments.

“First and foremost, I’ve been the mayor for 11 years, and this is the first time that I’ve had to raise my voice as a council member,” Johnson said.

He said council members could disagree without becoming “disagreeable” and that, as chairman, he had a responsibility to maintain “civility, protocol, and order” in meetings.

“So when I have to speak up and make sure that my council members follow the protocol, the Robert Rules of Orders, I will do just that,” Johnson said.

He then apologized to residents for raising his voice while defending his actions as mayor.

“So I say thank you, but I apologize because this is not my nature,” Johnson said. “But sometimes people force you to operate outside of your normal nature.”

Johnson said he hoped he would not have to do it again, but added that he would “defend this office, this chairmanship” and make sure meetings were conducted “with civility and with proper protocol.”