Criminal charge filed on Erath city employee after Erath council meeting

ERATH — Erath City Council meeting turned a little heated when a volunteer fireman stormed out yelling and pointing his finger at the city council and mayor, and at the same time allegedly threatened an 80-year-old audience member. 
Last Monday, Stanley Norris went to the Erath Police Station and filed charges against James Howard, a part-time worker for Erath. He is also a part-time paid city fireman.
Norris filed simple assault charges against Howard for what Howard allegedly told him at a recent Erath City Council meeting.
When the city council voted to change the way the fire chief is selected for the volunteer fire department, Howard, a volunteer firefighter, became upset and began yelling, pointing his finger at the council and Mayor Taylor Mencacci.
Howard then told the council and mayor to “Find someone else to run your fire department,” and he stormed out of City Hall. Erath Police Chief Anna LaPointe got up and escorted him out of the meeting.
While being escorted, Howard allegedly told Stanley to take his  stick, which he was using to support himself walking, and “shove it up your A--.”
“I did not tell him anything,” said Stanley. “He got upset at Mayor Taylor Mencacci.  The mayor should have fired him right on the spot.  He is still working for the city.”
Nearly two weeks after asking the council and mayor to find someone else to run the fire department, Howard is still employed by the city.
The Meridional reached out to Mayor Mencacci to see if he wanted to comment about Norris filing charges against Howard.  The Mayor did not respond.
In Louisiana, simple assault is defined as an assault committed without a dangerous weapon. The penalty for simple assault is a fine of not more than $200, imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both. 
Chief LaPointe said she floated the charges to the district attorney’s office. 
A few days after the Erath City Council meeting, the Erath Volunteer Fire Department held its normal department meeting and voted Norris, who has been an honorary fireman for 62 years, out of the fire department.
“I did not say anything and I get voted out, but the guy who cursed at the mayor, is still a fireman, “ said Norris. “That is not right.”