Michigan City City Council passes resolution of no confidence in mayor

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind.--- The Michigan City City Council unanimously voted to approve a resolution of no confidence in Mayor Duane Parry. The resolution also demanded that Parry resign after he made racially charged remarks on a voicemail he left on a local Black pastor's phone after he thought he'd hung up.

"Why does he feel comfortably enough to make such bigoted comments in his office?" asked Councilmember Gene Simmons.

Parry said he will not resign but did apologize for his remarks. 

"Everybody’s talking to us about impeachment and what we can do next," said Councilmember Angie Nelson Deuitch. "Why waste all of our time to do that?"

All nine councilmembers expressed their shock in Parry's comments prior to voting on the resolution. 

"When I heard those comments on that tape, I could not believe what I heard, and my heart almost fell out of my chest," said Councilmember Donald Przbylinkski. 

Councilmembers also expressed their frustrations about the amount of negative coverage the city received in the wake of the scandal.

"This city has been in the news in markets as big as Chicago and I am tired of us making the news for all the wrong reasons," said Councilmember Bryant Dabney.

Councilmembers say they want the public to know they will continue to do what's best for the city, regardless of who holds the title of Mayor.

"We are going to continue to push to build trust in the community that they can trust us as council people that we can get the job done with or without this mayor being in office," said Nelson Deuitch.