Page 4 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch October 11, 2013 Council Discusses Citizen Ejection By JOANNE SHRINER STAFF WRITER OCEAN CITY – City Council members squared off this week over last month’s incident involving an Ocean City resident being ejected from council chambers with some members apologizing while others stood behind the decision. At the conclusion of a Mayor and City Council meeting last month, while Ocean City resident Herb Pawlukewicz was at the podium addressing the Mayor and City Council, a citizen in the audience, Ellie Diegelmann, was asked to leave council chambers by a police officer after clapping in response to a comment and was accused of disorderly conduct. The majority of the council claims they were all focused on Pawlukewicz and did not recognize the discourse between Diegelmann and the officer until she was already packing up her belongings and leaving the building. At that point, Councilman Brent Ashley asked Council President Lloyd Martin if Diegelmann could be given a warning and be allowed to stay. Martin replied, “No.” This week, a long-time former council member, Vince Gisriel, approached the Mayor and City Council during the citizen comments portion of the meeting to express his disappointment in the council over the incident. “I have known Ellie Diegelmann for 15 years plus. I would see her come to this podium, I have seen her on TV over the years, I have seen her at these meetings, and pound for pound you can’t find one single civilian in this town that is more prepared, and does as much research, and asks the various questions as Ellie Diegelmann, and for her to be asked to leave these council chambers, I don’t know how far we have dipped,” Gisriel said. “In an era where a lot of people feel our rights are being infringed upon, we are losing our rights gradually dayby-day. If we lose the right to freedom of speech and the freedom of expression at a public setting, we are all doomed.” Councilwoman Margaret Pillas, who said she did not see what had transpired at last month’s meeting, took the opportunity to apologize to Diegelmann. “If I would have seen it, I would have absolutely stood up for your rights,” Pillas said. Ashley followed with an apology of his own as he is still embarrassed over the matter. “I would hope the entire council would issue you an apology,” he said. Martin claimed he was not aware of the discourse that took place between Diegelmann and the officer. “By the time you [Ashley] wanted me to intervene, it was already over. I could not question why she was leaving. It would have not been right SEE PAGE 38