COLUMBUS, Ind. — For the second time in recent weeks, public comment at the Columbus City Council meeting Tuesday night focused on the actions of council president Frank Jerome, and councilperson from the first district, Dascal Bunch.
In the past, Jerome has posted off-color comments on Facebook while a fire raged through Fox Pointe Commons, leaving 14 people homeless. Jerome also posted a public comment about a former mayor of Columbus. That comment in part read, “In Vietnam she (the former mayor) would have been fragged.” The definition of “frag” is to deliberately kill (an unpopular senior officer), typically with a hand grenade.
During the August 18 city council meeting, resident Dave Jones asked to read a letter into the record. Before Jones read the letter, Jerome said the letter had nothing to with council business, and then interrupted Jones at least once during his presentation. The letter asked for the removal and censure of Jerome as council president.
At the September 20 meeting, another letter by Ken Fudge calling for the resignation of Dascal Bunch, was read to council. The letter stated the recent diversion agreement Bunch entered into with the courts was a negative reflection on the residents of Columbus and city government. Fudge said he believes entering into a pretrial diversion program creates the suggestion of an admission of guilt. The letter also addressed Jerome’s actions and ask for an apology from Mayor Jim Lienhoop because of an exchange during a previous meeting with Fudge.
Earlier this year, Indiana State Police investigated and charged Bunch with public indecency. Court documents show a neighbor provided pictures of Bunch exposing himself to her through a window. The neighbor also told investigators he had done the same thing on at least two other occasions sometimes in front of children in the neighborhood.
During the meeting Bunch responded to Fudge and the public by saying, “I’m not going anywhere, I’ll be here for three more years. Why don’t you just shut up and stop telling lies.”
At that point, Mayor Lienhoop called to adjourn the meeting, and received a “second” on that motion. The public access feed was terminated. Before the feed was cut, Mayor Lienhoop can be heard asking members of the public to approach if they would like to comment further.
Mayor Lienhoop was contacted for comment but was unable to respond due to a scheduling conflict.