Parkersburg resident Brian Hayden stands with his arms crossed as council President Mike Reynolds asks for police to remove him from council chambers on Tuesday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

PARKERSBURG – Members of Parkersburg City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday night to override council President Mike Reynolds’ order barring a city resident from speaking at future public forums.

Reynolds made the ruling as Parkersburg resident Brian Hayden was speaking during the public forum at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Over the past year, you have given council 22, in my opinion, narcissistic speeches during our public forum,” Reynolds said to Hayden. “During those speeches to council you have violated council’s rules and decorum.”

Members of the audience stood and openly expressed their displeasure with the council after Reynolds’ statement. Reynolds said Hayden would be escorted out by police if he didn’t obey council order.

Councilwoman Wendy Tuck called for a point of order and said she didn’t believe Hayden was violating any rules.

Parkersburg City Council President Mike Reynolds asks for Parkersburg resident Brian Hayden to be barred from further audience during council’s public forum on Tuesday. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Reynolds said Hayden had used “slanderous and boisterous” remarks on multiple occasions, including Tuesday night.

“This is my First Amendment right … what you’re doing is illegal against the Constitution,” said Hayden.

After Tuck’s call for a point of order, council voted 6-3 against Reynolds’ ruling, Councilmen Dave McCrady, participating by phone, and Roger Brown joining the president to vote in favor of it.

Councilwoman Sharon Kuhl agreed Hayden had been boisterous and condescending in past meetings but she said that on Tuesday he only addressed the agenda.

“I do not like this continuous animosity between council and the public,” she said. “You’re right, you have freedom of speech … but we have the right to set the record straight.”

Kuhl said she was tired of people not having their facts straight when they would come up to council to express their concerns.

Councilman Chris Rexroad said the public has a right to free speech.

“Hayden, I don’t always agree with you, actually very often, I disagree with you; however, I know council rules can’t override the Constitution,” he said. “I believe it is your constitutional right to tell us what you’d like to.”

Brown said Hayden violated the rules because he singled out a specific person on council.

Many in the audience shouted demands for council to change the rules to allow the public to speak freely during the public forum. Council earlier this year changed its rules to only allow public forum speakers to address items on the agenda.

Hayden had voiced his concerns about the resolution to reallocate $250,000 to fix a stormwater issue for the pond at City Park. The resolution was approved to be referred to council during the Finance Committee meeting earlier that night.

Hayden said he felt the money could be used towards more urgent matters such as stable infrastructure and better ways of diverting excess drainage.

“Judging by this current request for the diversion of eligible funds and the future loss, I’m starting to suspect that it is not just political clout that is lacking,” said Hayden.

He had questioned whether dredging and cleaning the pond was a wise use of funds.

During the earlier meeting, the Finance Committee discussed the project of dredging the pond in City Park.

“The pond is beautiful but it requires maintenance and it’s going to be ugly getting all of that muck out of there,” said Mayor Tom Joyce.

The project would focus on draining and removing about 11,000 cubic yards of muck from the bottom of the pond. It would clear out debris and deepen the pond to allow more space for runoff and rainwater.

There were concerns from council about how shallow the pond was and how much it would overflow and cause problems in the park.

The full council approved the budget revision resolution unanimously.

Council also voted unanimously for Councilman Andrew Borkowski to serve as president and Kuhl as vice president for 2026.

“I’m really grateful for the support of my peers, and I’m looking forward to a great 2026,” said Borkowski.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com