About 45 minutes into the meeting, a break was called after Roy Simons, 84, and Chuck Leonard, 72, exchanged words. At one point Simons had a hold of Leonard's arm.
The meeting's main agenda item was a discussion of the final version of the draft guidelines for a proposed city homebuyer program and housing rehabilitation program.
City Administrator Dale Neiman, who was injured last month in a fall and broke his finger, collarbone and back, was back for his first council meeting since his accident.
He was discussing the guidelines, which – since they were introduced to the council last year – had been put on the back burner because of other priorities. More recently, the city's redevelopment advisory committee approved the guidelines in a 4-0 vote.
He said the program works by using a primary commercial lender, with the redevelopment agency providing silent second loans.
Through the years the city has made loans that have helped rehabilitate or build 320 low- and moderate-income housing units, said Neiman. However, most of the loans were deferred, or recovered on the property's sale, so no income has been coming in.
Simons questioned the homebuyer loan committee in the guidelines, which consists of three people – the city finance director, the agency's executive director – which is Neiman – and a member of the community with banking or real estate experience appointed by the mayor. Neiman said they could add more people to the committee.
Simons began to criticize Neiman and when Mayor Judy Thein tried to insist that he be respectful Simons told her to be quiet.
He then told Neiman that the committee needed more than three people, “especially if you're one of them.”
Vice Mayor Joyce Overton said she wanted to see two at-large seats added.
Simons asked Neiman if he had banking experience. Neiman said he has worked on numerous commercial loans.
Leonard intervened, telling Simons to stop the direct attacks, adding that Neiman had thousands of times more knowledge about running a city than Simons did.
“You have no idea what the hell you're talking about,” said Leonard, as someone yelled “point of order” from the audience.
“You're being so nasty and stupid about it,” Leonard said to Simons.
Immediately after that, Simons was holding Leonard's arm, and Thein called for a break.
Police Chief Allan McClain came onto the dais and stepped between the two, telling Simons to calm down.
During the break the two men stood toe to toe and continued to argue, with Simons asking Leonard if he wanted to go outside.
When community member Estelle Creel attempted to walk onto the dais while the men were talking in order to speak with Simons, McClain told her to go back to the public area of the room.
“Have a seat or step outside,” McClain repeated several times before Creel retreated to the audience area.
Five minutes later, the meeting reconvened, with Thein saying she hoped everyone would follow the rules of conduct.
Overton asked to continue the matter so they could look at how the county has configured a comparable committee.
“That's exactly what I was going to suggest also, so I'm very much in favor of it,” Simons said.
Richard Birk, president of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, said the group has its own loan committee and would be happy to help the city.
“I'm encouraged that you want to do this,” he said, noting that Habitat hopes to team up with the city, because the group wants to help its citizens.
The council agreed to bring the matter back, and the meeting – which ended at about 7:15 p.m. – witnessed no further confrontations.
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