Three Frederick council members question Katie Nash’s leadership role

Three members of the Frederick City Council say Vice President Katie Nash should step down from her leadership roles, opening a public dispute over ethics, relationships among council members and Nash’s handling of a controversial social media post.

Council Members Derek Shackelford, Sarah Hempel Irani and Joe Adkins have each questioned Nash’s ability to continue serving in leadership. Nash said Friday that she does not intend to step down, saying there is “too much important work to do.”

The City of Frederick currently lists Nash as City Council vice president and District 1 representative. She also chairs the Government Operations Committee.

Much of the latest criticism centers on a social media post Nash made in December.

Nash posted a photo of a 45-pound weight accompanied by the Megan Thee Stallion song “Rattle.” Resident Tiana Massaquoi has said she interpreted the post as being directed at herself and another Black community advocate, Nina Rollins, after they publicly supported Shackelford for council president.

Nash has denied having an ulterior motive and apologized at a June 18 council meeting after learning how the post was being interpreted. She said she never intended to use social media to hurt anyone and removed the post.

Shackelford initially accepted the apology but said at Thursday’s meeting that he now viewed it as dismissive. Hempel Irani then said the council should seriously consider asking Nash to step down.

The discussion also turned to Nash’s ethics history.

The source material reports that the Frederick Ethics Commission has twice issued opinions since 2022 finding that Nash violated city ethics rules. Nash is challenging one of those decisions in court. The current leadership dispute is separate from those proceedings.

Shackelford also criticized Nash’s communication with other members, saying the two had not met in roughly 10 months. Nash said she believed their limited interaction was partly because they serve on separate committees and said she would make a greater effort to communicate.

Council members are not united on whether Nash should leave leadership.

Peter Brehm said any discussion of removing Nash would be premature before the ethics process is complete, while Council President César Díaz said he disagrees with the suggestion that she step down and wants the council to return its focus to city business.

The city’s own website continues to identify Díaz as president and Nash as vice president.

Another complication is that Frederick’s charter does not currently spell out a process for removing or replacing someone in a council leadership position.

City Attorney Rachel Gray said she would need to determine an appropriate procedure if a leadership vacancy occurred. Adkins said he plans to introduce a charter amendment creating a formal removal process.

For now, Nash remains vice president and says she intends to stay in the position.