Swanton employees resign after Confederate flag mask controversy [View all]

SWANTON — Officials are promising reforms after a town employee wore a mask bearing a Confederate Flag to a public meeting.

The employee, Derick Billado, the animal control officer and first constable, resigned this month after wearing the mask to a June selectboard meeting, which triggered a slew of citizen complaints. In protest and solidarity, Billado’s parents, who also worked for the town, stepped down.

In a sharply worded letter to the Town of Swanton selectboard, Billado’s parents cited “personal attacks” on their family and decried the impact of “transients” in the community.

Selectboard members told a packed meeting July 21 that they would enhance educational and training opportunities for employees and also were looking into instituting policies around their use of social media.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2020/07/30/swanton-employees-resign-after-confederate-flag-mask-controversy/