GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — Gallatin City Council Member, Eileen George announced her resignation and said she has been harassed and bullied by another council member — Pascal Jouvence. She claimed his supporters have been harassing her through social media, texts, voicemails, and even physical confrontations.
She announced her resignation and her reasoning during Tuesday night's council meeting. You can watch her announcement starting at 52:16 on the city's recording of the meeting.
“I just decided it was time for me to let the bullying out of my life and the harassment and, you know, let him hear what people think about them,” George said.
She listed direct examples of the harassment, such as a joke Jouvence made at her expense about her mental health. She said she was summoned to court on a bogus charge for conspiring to sabotage Jouvence's wife's business license. George said recently her business partner was in tears over getting harassed on social media as well. George is co-owner of the company Golden Girls Real Estate.
“That prompted me to think about, you know, most people don't know both of us together. They know each one and that's the whole idea about building business. So, it made me think about, you know, my reputation is really more important to me than some council position,” George said.
In response, Council member Jouvence denied the accusations, asserting that he never engaged in any form of harassment or abuse towards George.
“You can’t bring things in yourself and not accuse other people with no reason. If you accuse me of harassing you or abusing you, I never called her once, I never texted her once. Emails, like I said, were 11 email exchanges,” Jouvence said.
Jouvence acknowledged that he had concerns regarding George’s use of her council Facebook page to advertise her real estate business. He also mentioned filing an ethics complaint against George for forwarding an email from the city attorney to the CEO of Sumner Realtors. The email included a letter from a law firm announcing their intent to initiate litigation.
“If you’re accusing me of harassing you or bullying you, it is totally false. Bring the proof before saying stuff like that. So, prove it,” Jouvence said.
Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown expressed her disappointment in George’s resignation through a statement:
"I am very saddened by Councilwoman George’s decision... but I am not shocked. She has been personally and professionally negatively impacted just for doing what she thinks is right. She is a 50-year resident of Gallatin who has positively impacted many people. She deserves far better."
Councilwoman George had four more months remaining in her term. City leaders have indicated that they do not plan to call for a special election to fill the vacancy.
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