Armstrong Mayor Greg Buum gave his written resignation, city attorney David Stein announced at a Monday night City Council meeting.
The Iowa Attorney General s Office has charged Buum, the town s police chief, its city clerk and two former clerks in an alleged plot to loot the city coffers and cover it up.
Buum, 69, also is charged with misusing a saw from the Northwest Iowa town s volunteer fire department in his personal business.
Free on $67,000 bond, he declined to comment on the charges he is facing when reached at home Monday. Nope, not talking to anyone, he said. Thanks for the phone call.
By Jason Taylor
Feb 23, 2021
ARMSTRONG, Iowa - The roles are changing for several city employees facing felony charges in northern Iowa s Armstrong.
The Armstrong City Council voted unanimously Monday night to place police chief Craig Merrill and city clerk Tracie Lang on unpaid administrative leave.
Mayor Greg Buum resigned his position earlier in the day.
The state Attorney General s Office is handling the case against five current and former employees accused of misusing city funds and trying to cover up those actions.
Merrill, Lang and Buum face felony charges, as does former City Clerk Connie Thackery. Former City Clerk Kate Staton faces related misdemeanor charges.
Friday, February 12, the Emmet County Sheriff issued the following statement:
“On February 11, 2021, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office filed charges related to an investigation of current and former public officials and employees with the City of Armstrong in Emmet County, Iowa.
Mayor Greg Buum, police chief Craig Merrill, city clerk Tracie Lang, and former city clerk Connie Thackery were charged with felony and misdemeanor offenses in a 21-count joint trial information approved by the Emmet County District Court. The top count against Buum, Merrill, and Thackery is a charge of ongoing criminal conduct, a Class B felony. The top count against Lang is fraudulent practice in the first degree, a Class C felony. The trial information also alleges additional counts against some of the defendants for theft, felonious misconduct in office, non-felonious misconduct in office, tampering with records, assault with a dangerous weapon, and falsifying public documents, as committed by one