During the October 3, 2022 City Council meeting a Newton resident, later identified as Noah Petersen, requested to make a public comment during the designated citizen participation portion of the City Council agenda. Petersen approached the podium and began speaking in a manner that was deemed to be in violation of the stated rules for citizen participation. Petersen was directed by the Mayor to sit down or leave the meeting. Petersen became disruptive and refused several directives by law enforcement to leave the podium as directed. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct and transported to the Jasper County Jail.
