WHITEHALL — At the July 9 Whitehall city council meeting, numerous community and council members called for the removal of Steve Salter, 72, as mayor due to a recent altercation between him and an elderly neighbor.
On May 30, Whitehall police were called to Salter’s residence when he allegedly punched Amy Josephson, 64, in the face after she struck him from behind. Charges were filed against Josephson for assault and battery. Since then, her case has closed.
The official report said it was “evident she was highly intoxicated.” Salter’s interview, included in the report, said Josephson started cursing at him while he was mowing his lawn and he tried ignoring her. When he turned his back, she punched him from behind, resulting in him turning around and punching her in the face. There was a little blood under her nose and she fell to the ground. When police arrived at the scene, she was inside her residence.
At the July 9 meeting, councilmen Scott Brown and Tom Ziemer both shared letters they received from concerned citizens about Salter’s behavior. One of the letters’ authors said they, as a psychologist, had “never experienced any leader at the lowest level ever using physical violence to deal with unresolved conflict.” The letter closed with a call to remove Salter as mayor and a city official, saying, “He has shown himself to not be stable enough for his job, nor as the image we wish to portray to the rest of the world.”
Councilwoman Debra Hillebrand did not receive a letter; however, she agreed with Brown and called for Salter’s resignation.
“Many of us have been witness to the mayor’s aggressive manner and easily provoked temper during council meetings,” said Hillebrand. “To me this display of a complete lack of control and violence is simply unacceptable from a public official. It not only reflects poorly on him as an individual, but it’s damaging to our city, our council and our community. I want the mayor to take responsibility for his action and what I believe to be in the best interest of the community, I request that he resign from his position as mayor and on city council.”
Another letter described the aftermath of the altercation as “a cover-up by City Hall.” There are concerns with the story’s spread that the city’s reputation will be tarnished and as a result, there will be a “lack of trust in city officials.”
“I definitely don’t think that an elected official, who should be held to a higher standard, is fit to serve any community in an official capacity when he cannot control his temper and resorts to violence,” Brown said.
A couple of Whitehall citizens during public comment said Salter’s actions were in self-defense, as the neighbor struck him in the back prior to his reaction. According to another local community member, who used to work down the street from Salter’s residence, Josephson has a history of public outbursts and has consistently caused disturbances for her surrounding neighbors and other community members.
Whitehall Police Chief Roger Squiers said since 2022, they have received 32 calls involving Josephson, 11 of them leading to charges against her. He also said she has fought with his officers in the past, resisting arrest, and once “splashed a raspberry slushie” on him.
“It’s more than an altercation between myself and my neighbor,” said Salter. “For 25 years, my family and I have been verbally harassed by this individual. On that date, the verbal harassment turned into physical harassment.
“The fact is, I was mowing my lawn on my property. This individual was continuously cursing at me. I ignored her, as I’ve had to do for over 25 years. I turned my back and she struck me from behind with a fist, and my immediate reaction was to turn around and strike her back to protect myself. I immediately called 911 and the police came. She was intoxicated and they arrested her. She was out the next day and subsequently pleaded a downward charge of disorderly person. This has happened over and over, and the fact that these council members are so outraged by this, they’ve never been concerned over the 25 years that I’ve been harassed.”
