The vote came without further debate after nearly seven hours of public testimony and about four hours of questions to city staff. Council Vice President Carmella Glenn moved to call the question after two attempts to recess the meeting and take up the resolution Thursday failed.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said 140 people had registered to speak on the resolution, introduced by Alder Will Ochowicz on Oct. 6. Testimony began at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and continued until about 4 a.m. Wednesday. All but three speakers opposed the resolution.

A vote to recess at that point, proposed by Council President Sabrina Madison, drew boos and catcalls from people still in the chamber. Madison later withdrew the motion, and council members continued questioning staff.

Alders examined complaints outlined in an employment review issued the previous week by City Attorney Michael Haas. Among them was Glass’s cancellation of a meeting with Police Chief John Patterson. Patterson told the council he and Glass met monthly for most of her tenure, though meetings were sometimes canceled because of scheduling conflicts or illness. Alder Julia Matthews noted that the review highlighted only one meeting Glass canceled because she was sick.

Council members also questioned whether Glass followed city contracting procedures when hiring legal and other experts. Haas cited the retention of an attorney to help the Office of the Independent Monitor subpoena records from the Madison Police Department, saying contracts with the city must be in writing and reviewed by multiple departments.

Haas also raised the hiring of forensic pathologist Dr. Victor Weedn to independently review the autopsy of Richard Lee Johnson, who died in police custody in 2024. Weedn’s fee would have been below the $25,000 threshold that requires a contract, Haas said, but Weedn told him he had a written contract that had not been properly approved.

Some questions concerned Glass’s disclosure of confidential records to Glenn. Glass said she shared emails between the City Attorney’s Office and the police department because she wanted to counter what she called “lies” about her.

The council also discussed the search for a permanent monitor, one of Glass’s main responsibilities after her appointment. Glass said the Police Civilian Oversight Board had not yet developed a permanent job description, adding, “I can not post a job description that does not exist.”

Glass said she had discussed possible ways to remain in the position, including applying after recusing herself from the hiring process or being appointed directly. She said she would not apply through a competitive process but would consider a direct appointment, and was willing to remain in the interim role until a successor could take over. “I love y’all, but I never intended to stay,” she said.

Haas said city ordinances and hiring documents do not allow a direct appointment and require a competitive posting and hiring process. “I don’t know where that idea came from,” he said.

Council Chief of Staff Karen Kapusta-Pofahl will take over management of the Office of the Independent Monitor while the city searches for a permanent monitor. She told the council she would not conduct investigations and would seek to hire an investigator if one is needed.