City of Belfast Mayor Samantha Paradis during a City Council meeting on November 27, 2018. Credit: Gabor Degre

On Thursday, the Belfast City Council held a special meeting to discuss a recent OpEd published in the Republican Journal by Mayor Samantha Paradis. In the OpEd, Paradis accused the city council of ageism, sexism and bigotry. During the contentious special meeting, the city councilors voted unanimously to stop Paradis from speaking on behalf of the City Council, and also voted three to two to have Belfast leave the Mayors’ Coalition on Jobs and Economic Development.

Here’s a look back at Paradis’ rise to mayor in Belfast, and where the tensions on the city council began.

Lindsay Putnam is a senior editor covering Greater Bangor news and sports Bangor Daily News, where she has worked since 2018. Lindsay previously worked as an editor and reporter at the New York Post. She's...