Though the July 25 meeting of the village council was largely conflict free, the moments following the session’s adjournment were another story altogether.
Doc Ryan’s owner James Shaw was arrested for disorderly conduct and assault after a verbal tirade directed at Commissioner Patrick Doolin.
Shaw had filed a request for a variance so that he could combine two 24-foot lots at 1236 Circle Ave. to create a new 48-foot lot. Though the proposal would fall short of the minimum 50-foot width requirement for new lots, the Zoning Board of Appeals had previously recommended that the council approve the variance.
A motion to grant the variance was brought by Commissioner Mark Hosty, but none of the commissioners seconded the motion. Commissioner Tim Gillian was not present at the meeting and the Mayor is not permitted to second a motion, so the power to do so rested in the hands of Doolin and Commissioner Terry Steinbach.
According to Doolin, Shaw approached Mayor Anthony Calderone after the meeting, asking why his request had not been voted on. Calderone told him that he was not able to second a motion, and that he would have to wait until Gillian returned.
Doolin said that Shaw then “charged over and just spent the next five minutes using expletives, pointing his finger and trying to goad me into to some physical confrontation.”
“He appeared to be unstable and just out of his mind,” said Doolin, adding that he was in fear of physical harm both during the confrontation and as he walked to his car afterward.
After Shaw left, Doolin filed a police report. Shaw now has a Sept. 6 court date, and said he intends to plead not guilty.
Village Attorney Mike Durkin, who was seated next to Doolin at the meeting, corroborated Doolin’s account of the confrontation to police, though Calderone told police that he was busy talking to residents and had not heard anything.
Shaw said that the incident was nothing more than a “verbal outburst,” and was instigated by Doolin.
“Patrick Doolin provoked the outburst; he knows how he provoked the outburst, and he’s done it before,” said Shaw. According to a report filed at the Forest Park Police Department, Shaw told police that Doolin had “flipped him off.”
Shaw said that he plans to file a lawsuit against Doolin and the village upon returning from vacation on Aug. 13 for unlawful restraint and abuse of power.
Doolin said that he was not opposed to Shaw’s request, but felt that his application was incomplete. He said he would need to see plans for the house Shaw was planning to build before deciding where he stands.
“It wasn’t a positive action or negative, just no action, which allows him to come back”this could be placed back on the agenda in two weeks,” said Doolin.
