Douglas County Sheriff's deputies were called to a meeting of the Genoa Town Hall Tuesday night to investigate a fight that broke out between two residents after the town board meeting adjourned.
The fight involved residents Chris DeSocio and Les Kynett.
After the meeting adjourned, Kynett crossed the room and confronted DeSocio.
DeSocio said this morning that Kynett threatened him and pushed him.
"That's when I reached out to keep him away from me and he basically sucker punched me," DeSocio said. "I tackled him for my own protection."
Immediately after the fight was broken up Kynett said DeSocio grabbed him.
When reached for comment this morning, Kynett called the incident "unfortunate."
"I gave a full statement to the police officers last night," he said. "I don't feel the need to discuss it further."
After the fight was broken up in the town meeting hall, Kynett's shirt was ripped and DeSocio's face bloodied.
Earlier in the evening the two men were involved in a brief argument when Town chairwoman Kitty DeSocio threatened to have Kynett removed from the meeting for being disruptive during a Candy Dance debate. Kynett continued to talk after DeSocio asked him to stop.
"Wait in the truck, Chris," he said to DeSocio.
The fight was only the most obvious expression of the tensions generated by a repeat of a discussion about Candy Dance held on April 1.
Town Manager Sheryl Gonzales said Kynett requested that the town revisit its decision to allow vendors who purchase their goods into Candy Dance and that it divide the dinner/dance from the rest of the Candy Dance Craft Faire.
Board members agreed on Tuesday night to rescind their earlier action on the vendors, but failed to overturn their earlier action on the dinner-dance.
