A village council meeting in Peninsula got so heated it ended with charges for assault filed against a councilman’s wife.
Peninsula Mayor Doug Mayer said last Monday’s council meeting began with tensions running high and ended with tensions running high — plus a visit from village police.
The tensions were caused by a few different factors, Mayer said, including the resignation of councilman Doug Anderson, his immediate replacement and talks about replacing the town’s solicitor, Connie Hesske.
Following the end of the meeting, a woman approached Hesske and when the solicitor extended her hand for a shake, she got a slap instead.
The incident was captured on security cameras and when officers arrived to the council meeting, a police report was filed.
The woman accused of slapping Hesske’s hand, Wendy Anderson, is the wife of the resigning councilman. The couple did not respond for comment.
Anderson was charged with misdemeanor assault and is due in Stow Municipal Court on Thursday, March 31.
Mayer said one of the most disturbing things about the incident was that after the slap, Anderson went over to high-five another councilperson.
“It was completely inappropriate. You just don’t do that,” Mayer said. “The whole thing was uncalled for.”
