Troy city council approves councilman’s resignation after racist voicemail

TROY — The city council on Thursday voted unanimously to accept the resignation of former District 2 Councilman Mark McGrath after a voicemail emerged last week in which he can be heard using racial slurs.

McGrath, who formally resigned Monday, could not officially leave his post until the council approved his departure. The council’s Democratic majority is asking anyone interested in filling McGrath’s seat to contact the city clerk’s office.

Council President Carmella Mantello, a Republican, argued for the council to create a special committee tasked with appointing someone to fill McGrath’s vacancy. The district has the most minority residents out of Troy’s six council districts.

Mantello later rescinded her suggestion, noting that the Democrats would have enough votes to push through McGrath’s successor of their choice.

McGrath, a conservative who caucuses with the Republicans, was heard using racial slurs in a voicemail obtained by the Times Union from three years ago.

“That f—ing n—-r. F—ing c–n f–k,” he said. ” …it’s Mark McGrath, give me a call, will ya?”

McGrath won election to his former seat by just one vote in 2017.