Cuba Ward 3 Alderman Joyce Hartzell’s order of protection against former Parks Board Secretary Dan Eidson was dismissed due to insufficient evidence on Feb. 20 at Crawford County’s 42nd Circuit Court by Judge Nathan Kelsaw. Hartzell filed the protection on Nov. 14 after Eidson called for her removal from the parks board and asked her to leave Cuba’s Parks and Recreation Board meeting. 

According to Hartzell’s statement, “Eidson all of a sudden screamed at me that I had to leave and I thought that he was going to grab me and force me out of the room.”

Cuba resident, and Alderman Ward 3 candidate in April’s upcoming election, Ciara Kitchen was in attendance during the Nov. 14 park’s meeting and witnessed the encounter between Eidson and Hartzell. 

“Eidson asked them (Hartzell and Copling) to leave because he felt like they were disturbing the meeting, but he never approached her at all,” Kitchen said. “He walked to the back of the room to speak with the officer but he never went near her and he certainly never screamed at her that she had to leave.”

Numerous members of the audience of the Parks and Recreation board meeting, including Kitchen and former Parks Board President Cyndi Mercer, were subpoenaed to attend and give their side of the story at the Feb. 20 hearing.

Incumbent Hartzell is running for Ward 3 Alderman against Kitchen and Chris Newcom in the upcoming election and Eidson is running for Alderman Ward 1 against incumbent Ray Mortimeyer.