County board censures elected officials after alcohol-fueled tryst in Nebraska courthouse

What led to the vote was much more stunning.

On April 4, Treasurer Monty Stoddard, Assessor Bernice Huffman and county worker Caily Reece entered no contest pleas to amended fees of tried public indecency.

The misdemeanor fees stemmed from an evening of ingesting alcohol and having intercourse on the county courthouse Dec. 28.

Based on an announcement learn by Banner County Commissioner Bob Gifford throughout final week’s assembly, commissioners had kept away from publicly commenting on the incident beforehand “in an effort to afford these criminally accused … the chance to have their circumstances proceed unimpeded by the making of extra-judicial feedback or conclusions about these occasions and to make sure the presumption of innocence and different constitutionally assured rights weren’t infringed upon.”

Some two dozen group members packed into the courthouse in Nebraska’s Panhandle, listening because the commissioners selected the precise wording of the censure.

Ultimately, commissioners stated, the pair “not solely displayed poor judgment but additionally failed to guard and protect public property.” It stated Stoddard and Huffman engaged in conduct that was not solely “lewd, lascivious, inappropriate and reprehensible, but additionally offensive and disrespectful to the general public, a betrayal of public belief unbecoming to Banner County elected officers.”

However Gifford stated the officers’ resignations wouldn’t be in the perfect pursuits of the county, and he disagreed with a suggestion that Stoddard and Huffman not run for reelection.

“That’s less than us,” he stated. “I believe that’s as much as the individuals of the county.”

At present, Stoddard and Huffman are operating unopposed on this 12 months’s marketing campaign cycle and a recall place is not attainable this near an election.

Reece, the worker concerned within the case, works within the workplace of County Clerk Lisa Cross. The commissioners stated they may not take motion concerning her employment; solely Cross may do this.

After the board’s vote, Stoddard apologized however stated he did not plan to resign.

“I’m not a quitter,” he stated. “Nobody feels worse concerning the occasions of that evening than I do. I’m upset in myself. I’ve owned this. I’m attempting to maneuver ahead.”

He stated he apologized to his household and reached out to group members.

“I’m going to let 12 years (in workplace) and, hopefully, the longer term outline me, not one evening that was a foul choice,” he stated.

Neighborhood member Deborah Genz stated she’d misplaced all belief in Stoddard and Huffman.

“They’re well-grown, mature individuals,” she instructed the board. “There’s some issues that fall within the class of a foul choice, however, for me, that’s far past a foul choice. To me, it’s a blatant disrespect of this courthouse.”

She stated she was upset the commissioners had not publicly censured the officers earlier. 

The misdemeanor cost is punishable by as much as three months in jail, a $500 nice or each. As a part of a plea settlement, the prosecuting legal professional has agreed to request solely a nice.

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