Diana Simon
Robbinsville – The fallout from an incident at a Lake Santeetlah council meeting last year has reached its conclusion.
Diana Bonham Simon, 69 was ordered June 10 by District Court Judge Justin Greene to pay $183 in court costs – plus refrain from engaging in any social media posts, unofficial contact and “assaultive behavior” – after being cited on a charge of simple assault hours after a June 8, 2023, town meeting.
The incident – which begins around the 43-minute mark of a video on The Graham Star’s YouTube page – served as the culmination of months of frustration between Simon and Connie Gross, who was mayor at the time. Simon had long contended that Gross, Tina Emerson and Ralph Mitchell were each voted onto the council in 2021 under suspicious circumstances – even going so far as to file eight different voter challenges after the results were affirmed.
Mitchell was 91 years old when elected to office and had to miss an extended period of meetings between October 2022 and May 2023 due to illness. Mitchell fell ill while visiting family in Ohio and was unable to travel back for meetings.
His absence left a clear 2-2 division on the board, so town business floundered until Mitchell’s return at the June 8 meeting. The council was even unable to come to terms on voting to approve his temporary medical-leave request, which was submitted in January.
The council was amid a heated debate at the June 8, 2023, over appointing two alternates to the town’s planning board when the proceedings reached a boiling point.
Mayor Gross made a motion for Jack Gross to receive one of the two alternate seats. Her husband received the nod, 3-2.
Prior to his appointment, council member Diana Simon – seated directly to Mayor Gross’ right – expressed her desire to nominate Ralph Strunk, a resident who has shown great interest in filling the role.
Following Jack’s appointment, Mayor Gross attempted to make another motion for Alan Davidson’s name to be considered. Simon attempted to interject, shouting, “No!” but Mayor Gross continued her motion. It was at this point that Simon reached out and touched – some say slapped – the mayor on the upper portion of her right arm.
“I had a motion first!” Simon shouted at the mayor.
An initial chuckle in the room quickly turned into amazement over the proceedings.
“Keep your hands off of me,” Mayor Gross replied.
“Why do you ignore me?” Simon countered.
“Don’t you ever put your hands on me again,” Mayor Gross said.
Simon turned back to the room and made her motion for Strunk, which died after failing to receive a second. Mayor Gross then repeated her pitch for Davidson, which successfully passed 3-2. Oddly enough, the meeting continued for 42 more minutes as if nothing occurred. Shortly after the conclusion, Mayor Gross filed an incident report with the Graham County Sheriff’s Office.
Just five months later, Simon and former mayor Jim Hager were the only two members of the council re-elected by voters. Keith Predmore (who was voted out in 2021) joined Strunk and Kevin Haag in making out the five-member council.
The panel approved Simon as the town’s mayor shortly after the group was officially sworn into office in December.