Warren city council tables resolution urging mayor to take lie detector

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A city council resolution to urge the Warren mayor to take a lie detector test is on hold.

Although he was not in attendance at Tuesday's meeting, Warren residents sounded off.

"Mayor of Warren shame on you, at Christmas time your true feelings come to light, show your face you’re a disgrace and you can kiss my you-know-what," said one man.

"Mr. Mayor, gather up what's left of your dignity and leave this city," another said.

Residents addressed the city council which met for the first time the since explosive audio recordings were leaked attributed to Warren Mayor Jim Fouts. On the recordings a man who sounds like him disparages mentally challenged people, saying they are not real people and "I wish them well in a cage."

"One of my best friend's son has autism," said resident Sandi Verstraete, who called the comments disgusting. “And my daughter and he grew up together and I love him like a son."

The council tabled the resolution calling on Fouts to voluntarily submit to a polygraph test and voice recognition analysis. Councilman Scott Stevens was among those leading the charge and has offered to pay for it.

Meanwhile, Fouts says the audio recordings are phony - yet Stevens says prove it.

"Let's get to the bottom of it, get this cloud off of Warren and start to heal," said Stevens.

FOX 2: "If Mayor Fouts did in fact make remarks, should he step down?"

"Definitely I think he should step down," said resident James Parsons. "Because it was not one word that slipped, it was an actual conversation that lasted several minutes."

Pastor Maurice 'Mo' Hardwick from the Live in Peace Movement led a rally against Fouts before the council meeting.

He and activist Malik Shabazz met with the mayor and summed up his comments about the recording this way:

"He's denying remembering ever saying anything like that," Hardwick said. "He is saying that if at all possible he had a weak moment, he doesn't remember doing it."

"If it isn't you, come right out and say it," Shabazz said. "If it was you, get up, stand up (say) I (blanked) up, I'm sorry. Say I was frustrated I had a glass of wine too much, something."

Fouts maintains Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel doctored the recordings and is retaliating against him for exposing “environmental hazards" created after the building of berms at Freedom Hill in Sterling Heights.

Stevens said he is making the resolution his personal mission at upcoming council meetings.