Photo: AP
An Ohio mayor has announced his resignation after saying that ice-fishing could lead to prostitution.
While debating at acity council meeting last weekwhether to allow the recreational activity at Hudson Springs Park, Mayor Craig Shubert pondered what the ramifications could be.
“While on the surface it sounds good,” he said, “then what happens next year?”
Shubert, a Republican official in the Akron-area town, suggested that permitting it could lead to people requesting the use of anice shanty, a portable shed placed on a frozen lake to provide shelter while dropping fishing lines through a hole in the ice.
“If you’re going to allow ice fishing in shanties, then that leads to another problem: prostitution,” Shubert said at the council meeting.
On Monday, he resigned.
“City Council workshops are a time for discussing important matters, the sharing of ideas and concerns, as well as one’s knowledge and experience prior to crafting legislation to establish new laws and policies,” Shubertwrote on his website.
Hudson’s Restaurant & Catering showed off a menu of newcocktail creations on Facebook, including a Love Shack Margarita, the Ice Breaker, Rod Reeler and Gone Fishin' Jello Shots.
“THE SHANTY IS OPEN,” the eatery said in the post, which included a photo of an green, floor-less tent inside its dining area. “Where Ice Fishing Leads to a Good Time.”
Getty
And Shubert’s opponents pounced.
“Such a shame that our wonderful town of Hudson, OH has made national (international?) news yet again,” City Councilwoman Nicole Kowalskisaid in a tweet. “I have very real concerns about how this incident will impact Hudson long-term. I do not want this to deter people or businesses from moving to our wonderful community. Could this impact property values?”
The Summit County Democrats alsotweeted: “The Mayor of Hudson, Craig Shubert, believes ice fishing will lead to prostitution,” the political group wrote. “Can someone HOOK us up with the data that supports this statement?”
The same station alsoinvestigated the claimthat ice-fishing in shanties could actually lead to prostitution.
“I don’t think an ice-fishing hut would be ideal for that type of activity,” Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand said in an interview. “We never had that problem.”
Meanwhile, ice-fishing is now permitted in the park. “At your own risk,” reads a new sign. “Minors must be with an adult.”
source: people.com
