Hutto mayor asked to resign after tensions rise over racial trope during city council meeting
By Paige Hubbard
On September 9, 2023
HUTTO, Texas — Some Hutto residents are outraged over what they’re calling a racial innuendo that went un-checked by the mayor at a recent city council meeting.
“Those bananas sat there for two hours. We could not even see the mayor’s face. When he spoke, we saw bananas,” said Terrence Owens community leader and board of trustees member.
“How much longer are we supposed to put up with your petty, vindictive, sexist and racist actions that you pretend are leadership,” said citizen Jimmy Pearce.
While addressing council members during public testimony last week Nicole Calderone, a citizen who has run for public office in the past offered mayor Mike Snyder a monkey banana stand, with the hanging fruit.
“This is for you mayor. It’s a symbol and I am one of the many monkeys who try to climb the latter for bananas. Regardless of how many times other monkeys try to pull me down and beat me up,” she said.
Some say it was a thinly veiled racist trope comparing black people to monkeys and feel the comments lacked cultural sensitivity. Calderone is denying the allegation.
“If that comment would have been racially spurred it probably would have not come out of my mouth. I would have not gone up there,” she said.
Calderone tells us she was aware of the racial implications but says she intentionally wrote her remarks in an “inclusive manner” and was only using it as an example the mayor gave previously about striving for a better Hutto.
“There is no pleasing everybody. I’m going to say some things that make people mad and I’m going to say things that people are scared to say,” said Calderone.
Calderone’s intentions are being questioned after critics say she previously posted something racist on social media. She tells us it was a meme with a cut out of her face on singer Lauryn Hill’s body with the words “here I come.”
During this week’s city council meeting several community members expressed how the questionable gesture is showing a pattern of racism and discrimination.
“Mayor Snyder, you have cost this city more money than you can ever generate. There was a lawsuit that settled for about 12.5 million dollars for racial discrimination,” said Pearce.
CBS Austin obtained the racial discrimination lawsuit mayor Snyder lost against former city manager Odis Jones. In its transcript Snyder is quoted calling black people “crooks” including Mr. Jones.
“In what world do I live in where I can cost this city, as a black woman, $12.5 million for being discriminatory, and still keep my job? In what world could I say the things that you say, Mr. Mayor, and still keep my job?” said community advocate Onnesha Williams.
Calderone was mentioned as a witness in the suit but was not found culpable of wrongdoing.
“It’s haunting its taunting its harassing, It’s the same as going to work and having noose hanging at your desk. Having monkeys and bananas sitting where you reside to do the work. A black man, nor black woman nor, any citizen should be subject to that,” said Williams.
Mayor Snyder tells CBS Austin he did not find the gift or her comments racist but says he does see why some associated it with a racial undertone.
We asked him, why did he feel it was appropriate to keep the stand on the dais?
He says, “I think I could’ve brought it down. At the time to be quite honest with you, because there were no racial remarks made, nothing about any council member nothing like that was made, I took the speech as that she was talking about she was a monkey,” said Snyder. “I didn’t take it as a reason to do anything with it right then and there. Looking back if I would’ve known people would view this as something different than what I think she was trying to portray- yeah, the obvious decision would’ve been to move it off at the dais.”
At-large Hutto council Brian Thompson says Hutto has come a long way and is proud of its progression. But thinks the token given to the mayor highlights there is still work to be done and feels Snyder should issue an apology.
“Being attacked, being torn down because of a racial undertone it hurts. It hurts. I feel like it reminds you of where we’re trying to get away from and every time something like this happens.it takes you back,” he said.
The moment has some members of the Hutto community feeling shocked, disappointed, and angry and they are now calling for Snyder’s resignation.
“I’m asking Mr. Snyder instead of us getting 6,000 signatures, could you please resign, said Williams.
“Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do something,” said Robin Sutton.
“This community is a community of people of color and yet you insult a segment of this community. It didn’t make sense to me. There’s several of us probably in here, register and vote. Vote mike out. Vote him out, said Williamson County’s
Terrence Owens says he would like to see city government act in a way that would unite the community instead of dividing it.
“I employ you; I am begging you to please help this city heal,” he said.
Council Member Thompson says he wants to see mayor Snyder require cultural sensitivity and racial discrimination training for elected officials and citizens serving as city employees to avoid any sort of racial biases.
“I hope that with this incident, we learn from it, we correct the wrong doings and move forward in a positive way,” he said.
This piece was republished from CBS Austin.