Unexpected drama occurred at the Port Townsend City Council meeting on Jan. 16 as the chamber was packed with more than 60 people, most of whom had come to support a Cease Fire Resolution pertaining to bombings in Gaza and the West Bank.  

Musician and local resident Otto Smith, 76, collapsed from cardiac arrest while giving public testimony in support of the resolution. Emergency room nurse Sara Post checked and found no pulse and began performing CPR. 

City Manager John Mauro grabbed a nearby AED (defibrillator) unit and handed it to Mary Sackley, another nurse who stepped forward to help. Together they were successful in restarting Smith's heart. He was still unconscious and intubated when taken away via ambulance. As of this writing, Smith was recuperating at the University of Washington hospital with his wife, Kristin Smith, at his side.

Following this emergency, Mayor David Faber cancelled the rest of the meeting.

”Otto Smith's heart attack during our council meeting this last Tuesday was tragic and horrible to witness,” Faber said in a later statement. “The swift and heroic action of a local ER nurse, Sara Post, who happened to be at the meeting—along with Port Townsend Police Chief Tom Olson and the East Jefferson Fire and Rescue—quite possibly saved Otto's life.”

The meeting delays were poorly received by citizens who were waiting to speak. Despite severe weather warnings issued that evening, many in attendance were in their 70s and 80s. One came in with a walker; several walked with canes; one had needed a ride to get there. 

Prior to the medical emergency, Faber reordered the meeting schedule on advice from council colleagues, postponing the Cease Fire Resolution agenda item. The council voted in support of the change, while public frustrations flared.

Some expressed feelings that the council was indifferent to their welfare. Weather conditions were rapidly deteriorating, and people were forced to wait in crowded quarters. “The arguments for the delay were spurious” said Daniel Bugel-Shunra. “Of course there is a full agenda, but moving agenda items around will not make it shorter.”

Others said they felt that the council’s priorities did not represent them.

“I do not think the construction of a sidewalk that might happen next year can be compared to the power of people speaking from their hearts, from their grief, 

from their hope to shape a world without war,” said Isabel DuBois.

“My impression,” said attendee Daniel Rosenberg, “was that to members of the City Council, this resolution was a distraction from ‘real city business.’”

Mayor Faber said he anticipates that  from their hearts, from their grief, from their hope to shape a world without war,” said Isabel DuBois.

“My impression was that to members of the City Council, this resolution was a distraction from ‘real city business,’” said attendee Daniel Rosenberg.

Faber said he anticipates that City Council will have voted to adopt the resolution “before your article goes to publication.”

“I spent much of Tuesday night worrying about Otto,” Faber said. “I cannot begin to sufficiently express my thankfulness that he’s alive and, from my understanding, likely to make a full recovery. I’ve known Otto as a caring, charitable man since my teenage years at the Boiler Room, and he was standing before Council speaking to exactly that caring, charitable nature at the moment of his heart attack. I’m hopeful the world will have the benefit of many more years of Otto’s charitable nature.”