MIFFLIN — A village councilwoman was suspended Thursday evening at Mifflin’s crowded first meeting of the year.
Philene Craig, a newly elected councilwoman, claimed Joyce Amos of engaging in disorderly conduct “for the name calling of residents of this village on a Facebook page.”
Craig, who happens to be the wife of Fred Craig, also claimed misfeasance on the part of Ames for “voting on an ordinance knowing that if you voted for it you would gain property.”
Fred Craig, who was appointed council president by his fellow members on Thursday, was criminally charged with menacing by stalking on Dec. 15. He was arrested and jailed Jan. 5.
Acting Ashland Municipal Judge Joe Kearns set a bond of $5,000, including an agreement he would not come into contact with Amos, not access Facebook and not consume alcohol or drugs.
On Wednesday, Ashland Municipal Judge John Good modified the bond, allowing Craig to attend council meetings. But he made Craig agree he wouldn’t harass, harm or threaten Amos.
The bond was modified as a result of a motion filed by Craig’s attorney, Matt Malone.
Craig declined to comment on the case against him and his wife’s allegations against Amos.
Philene Craig then made a motion to suspend Amos. The motion passed, 4-2, with council members Amos and Pam Crain dissenting.
By state law, Amos is afforded a hearing date — which has been scheduled to occur Feb. 10, the village’s next regularly scheduled meeting.
Functionally, being suspended from council means Amos is “not able to exercise her council privileges and responsibilities until Feb. 10,” said Michael Brown, the village’s solicitor.
When asked if Philene Craig’s motion to suspend Amos posed a potential conflict of interest — given the background with her husband’s pending criminal case — Brown declined to comment.
The village’s meeting was crowded in part because of two residents interested in being appointed to an open seat on council. Those people were Patty Dean and Gregory Cover.
Dean won with a 5-1 vote of council. Amos was the dissenting vote.
At the end of the meeting, Fred Craig called for a council meeting on Thursday, Jan. 20, in order to make a presentation on his cemetery committee assignment, which is determined by the Mayor Vickie Schultz.
“I also want to take care of anything else that didn’t come up tonight,” Fred Craig said.
After the meeting, Amos said she didn’t see Philene Craig’s motion coming.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said. “What I’ll say, though, is (the Craigs) have called me all sorts of names.”
She said she has been called a “clowncil” woman and other derogatory terms by the Craigs.
As for the criminal case she initiated against Fred Craig, she said her issues with him have been ongoing for almost 10 years.
“I’ve been very fearful. I had to buy cameras,” she said. She said she filed a complaint with village police finally because she could never prove anything against him — allegations that include vandalism and property damage — in the past.
“I guess we’ll have to see how this all plays out in court,” Amos said.
