Hot Mic Catches Cape Cod Politician Sharing Disdain for Residents, Sparking Outrage [WATCH]

A Yarmouth Select Board member has issued an apology after being caught on a hot mic insulting residents during a special town meeting livestreamed on YouTube.

The incident, which took place on Monday, December 9, has sparked backlash in the Cape Cod community.

The meeting was convened to discuss a proposal to relocate a small pumping station away from a cranberry bog in Yarmouth, a Massachusetts town known for its agricultural heritage and proximity to Cape Cod’s affluent enclaves.

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Near the end of the nearly two-hour session, Select Board member Joyce Flynn was heard saying, “God, I’m sick of these people,” apparently unaware her microphone was still live.

NEW: Cape Cod politician caught on hot mic saying, ‘God, I’m sick of these people,’ during livestreamed town meeting

Yarmouth Select Board member Joyce Flynn was caught on hot mic saying, “God, I’m sick of these people,” at the end of a nearly two-hour meeting

The town was… pic.twitter.com/n3EqbXQrnp

— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) December 16, 2024

Flynn later apologized for what she described as an “expression of impatience.”

Her apology, issued on the town’s official website on Thursday, acknowledged the inappropriate nature of her comment.

“In frustration when someone shouted an objection to hand-counting the votes, I made an unguarded comment,” Flynn wrote.

“I apologize for my expression of impatience. I remain committed to serving the residents of Yarmouth and ensuring our meetings are spaces where everyone feels valued and heard.”

Update:

The person who made the comment on the hot microphone has been identified as Joyce Flynn who is one of the Yarmouth Select Board members. https://t.co/14QmjJL8RO https://t.co/IY2Z4aYErI pic.twitter.com/UImD738xNN

— Cape Cod Concerned Citizens-Legal Citizens First! (@CapeCodCitizens) December 12, 2024

Despite Flynn’s apology, her remarks drew sharp criticism from residents, particularly from Brian and Chris Wilson, father-and-son operators of the 36-acre Fresh From The Vine cranberry farm located near the bog in question.

“It amazes me that we have no support from any of them, none at all,” Brian Wilson told the Boston Herald on Saturday. “Not only do we have zero support, but they bad-mouth us as well. It’s just incredible.”

Chris Wilson was equally critical, dismissing Flynn’s apology as inadequate. “There is no acceptable response to that,” he said. “That’s not how a town official is supposed to be.”

The meeting was prompted by the Wilsons’ request for town officials to consider an alternative site for the pumping station, which they argue poses a significant threat to their cranberry business.

The project, part of a $207.2 million wastewater management plan, was approved at a town hall meeting in the spring of 2023.

Despite the Wilsons’ concerns and a petition signed by more than 1,000 residents in support of relocating the station, the vote on Monday was ultimately non-binding.

Town officials stated that the location for the station had already been settled.

The pumping station, which will be under 200 square feet, is intended to improve water quality and protect local ecosystems, according to Town Administrator Robert Whritenour.

Officials have emphasized that the project is designed to minimize any intrusion on the cranberry bog.

Wilson, whose cranberry business generates approximately $50,000 annually, described the project as a “massive” risk to his livelihood.

Select Board member Tracy Post addressed the controversy, stating that town administrators harbor no ill will toward the cranberry farm or its operators.

However, the incident has left many residents questioning the board’s commitment to local interests.

Flynn is in her first term on the Yarmouth Select Board.

The hot mic moment has sparked broader conversations about transparency and respect in local governance, with residents calling for greater accountability from their elected officials.

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