Supervisor chair cited for public intoxication

LEE COUNTY – Lee County Supervisor Chairman Tom Schulz was cited Tuesday following the Lee County Board of Supervisors' meeting for alleged public intoxication.
Schulz was cited by a Fort Madison police officer and a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy while he was walking near his home following dinner.
During the board meeting, Schulz asked for medical attention after visibly having trouble with his speech and focus. About 40 minutes into the meeting, he got up from his chair and went over to Lee County EMS Director Mark Long and asked for assistance.
The board meeting continued following Schulz’s departure.
Schulz said he Tuesday night that he was concerned he was having a medical episode at the board meeting, which took place at 3:30 p.m.
“I couldn’t keep track of what I was looking at. I was having trouble enunciating and pronouncing my words and was afraid I was having a cerebral issue,” Schulz said.
The EMS staff at the meeting transported Schulz to the hospital in a staff vehicle where he was released after observation.
“After I got out of the hospital, my wife drove me home and we went and grabbed some food. The next thing I know there were officers on my porch who wanted to talk about the incident. They said they had a complaint that I was intoxicated at the board meeting.”
Schulz asked if they had a warrant and then declined to speak with the officers, at which point he walked down to visit with Fort Madison Police Chief Cody Potthast about incident, but Potthast was in a City Council meeting. Schulz then headed back home when he was stopped by the officers and given a breathalyzer. Schulz confirmed he blew a .09 which is over the legal limit.
Schulz said the officers then walked him home. He said he offered to do a field sobriety test, but the officers declined.
He said he did not knowingly have any alcoholic drinks prior to the meeting.
“I did not. I did grab two Pepsis out of my refrigerator prior to the meeting and I hope I didn’t grab two that I had mixed. But I don’t think that would be enough,” he said.
Lee County Sheriff Elliott Vandenberg confirmed the citation Tuesday night and said more information would be released Wednesday morning.
Schulz is in his first term as a supervisor and was elected chair after the new board was seated in January.