ROCK SPRINGS –– A confrontation took place Tuesday evening between Rock Springs Mayor Max Mickelson and Councilman Rick Milonas over disparaging comments Milonas allegedly made while at a local supermarket. Milonas denies the allegation.
At the conclusion of the Rock Springs City Council meeting, Mickelson told the Council he wanted to make them aware of a conversation he overheard while shopping at Albertsons recently, saying Milonas was talking to another resident and had claimed “he knows the city employees are incompetent and corrupt.” Mickelson said Milonas could be heard by people.
“As a Councilman, if you’re going to make that kind of public statement, it’s important that you bring the factual basis forward to the Council and I so that we can address it,” Mickelson said. “And so I’m providing you with the opportunity to do so.”
Milonas said he was speaking to Lynn Jackman and denied making the comment Mickelson alleges. Milonas said the corruption allegation was brought up by Jackman and said he was just listening to the conversation.
“I never said anything about corruption,” Melonas said. “He’s the one who brought up corruption.”
Mickelson pressed further, saying he and Milonas have differing memories of the conversation, with Milonas accusing Mickelson of eavesdropping on the conversation.
“You weren’t in the conversation,” Milonas said.
“It was a public conversation that you were having, and stated ‘that’s why I’m there,'” Mickelson replied.
Mickelson said if Milonas, as a member of the Council, is having those kinds of conversations in a place where residents can overhear them, he needs of have a factual basis to refer to.
Milonas said he has a right to free speech, saying he doesn’t care if he’s in Albertsons, the Council chambers, or his house. Mickelson re-iterated his position that if Milonas, as a Councilman, is making statements in the public about corruption within the city, he should provide the Council with facts supporting his statements.
“If that is in fact true, then we have a serious problem,” Mickelson said.
I didn’t say that Max,” Milonas responded. “But you know the last mayor was indited by the FBI and there’s some people here that were still with him.”
Mickelson said the past is dead and “we are living today.”
“The conclusion of this is that you do not believe the city employees are corrupt and incompetent,” Mickelson said.
“Corrupt and incompetent,” Milonas asked. “I don’t know, I’m new.”