CHI CHARLIE NGUYEN is the vice mayor of Westminster.

At another marathon meeting of the Westminster City Council that started Wednesday night and continued past midnight, Chi Charlie Nguyen retained his post as vice mayor.

The prospect of Nguyen being removed from that largely ceremonial position faded when Councilmember Kimberly Do said she would not support the change.

“I do believe that the title has gone to his head,” she said. She added that she resented Nguyen’s “bullying ways” and “bad attitude,” but concluded that making the change with five months remaining – the council is reorganized in December and a vice mayor is chosen then – it would be “divisive” and concluded, “I really don’t support this.”

The motion made earlier in the meeting to make the change was made by Councilmember Tai Do and seconded by Councilmember Carlos Manzo. They withdrew the motion and the second.

The discussion leading up to that point was lengthy and angry. Do’s principal reason for wanting to remove Nguyen from the post was because of his refusal to recuse himself from council consideration of the controversial proposed Quang Tri Monument. Nguyen is a leader of the foundation supporting the monument, and that represented a conflict of interest to Do.

“You cannot serve two masters at one meeting,” he said.

Nguyen questioned why Do had voted in December 2020 in favor of Nguyen as vice mayor if he now wanted to remove him. He asked Do “What have the other councilmembers promised you?” and added, “It will be the people who will judge your actions.”

A testy exchange followed between Manzo and Nguyen.  Manzo termed Nguyen “combative and disrespectful” and accused Nguyen of “spreading lies” about him. Nguyen called Manzo a “liar” and denied the accusation.