Newton

Newton city councilor says colleague's foot massage texts were ‘unwelcome'

Brenda Noel, a city councilor in Newton, Massachusetts, says she received a series of "inappropriate, unwanted and unwelcome" texts from a fellow council member

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A city councilor in Newton, Massachusetts, says a colleague sent her a series of "inappropriate, unwanted and unwelcome" texts.

The allegations from City Councilor Brenda Noel against a fellow councilor she is not naming are included in a packet of information for an upcoming subcommittee meeting.

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Noel says she received the messages during a council meeting on Nov. 20.

The councilor allegedly texted Noel, "I owe you a drink. A dinner. A foot massage. I need to figure this out." That was followed up with "OK. The foot massage sounds creepy but it's always what my wife wants."

Afterward, the colleague allegedly wrote, "Can I blame this whole discussion on COVID fog please."

In a letter to her colleagues, Noel wrote that when she went to report the exchange, she was told by the city's human resources department and city clerk that there is no system in place to investigate or examine the conduct of city councilors.

Noel is requesting that an ethics commission or committee be set up to handle allegations against members of the council.

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The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission says while it oversees elected officials, it's limited to investigating potential conflicts of interest.

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