A dispute between a sitting Town of Guernsey Council member and a resident vying for a council seat spilled into the parking lot earlier this month and resulted in a police report but no charges filed.
The dispute occurred Sept. 1, after resident Sue Fronapfel accused two council members of not doing their jobs and continually attacking town clerk Hillary Dawson.
The meeting grew tense when Fronapfel appeared to make a gesture toward council member Jeremiah Fields as she walked back to her seat and Fields yelled, “bullshit!”
After the meeting, Fields approached Fronapfel in the parking lot as she was getting into her side-by-side.
Fields and Fronapfel agree on at least two things: Fields told Fronapfel that “the gloves are off” and Fields said he would expose Fronapfel’s husband, former public works superintendent Mike Fronapfel, for questionable activity during his work with the town.
Mike Fronapfel is running for mayor against Shawna Reichert. Sue Fronapfel is one of four candidates seeking an open council seat in the November elections.
Whether Fields’ statement that “the gloves are off” constituted a threat differs, according to police reports, social media reports and interviews with Cowboy State Daily.
No wrongdoing was found by Platte County attorney Marel Bunker Roth, according to an email from the attorney to the police chief viewed by Cowboy State Daily.
Inside The Town Hall
In her public comments at the Sept. 1 meeting, Fronapfel criticized the council’s approach to the town’s budget, saying responsibility for making and approving a budget falls on the council and not the town clerk.
“When it was time to vote to fix the general fund there were two council members who made an issue. Then they accused the town clerk of not doing her job,” Fronapfel said at the meeting.
She did not name the council members.
“We have two council members consistently going after the town clerk … They say the town clerk isn’t doing their job. The real question is, are those two doing their job?” Fronapfel said.
As she walked back to her seat, Fronapfel put her hand on the side of her head and appeared to flick it toward Fields.
Fields shouted, “Bullshit!” Then he said, “I would like to know what council members are accused of not doing their job.”
Council member and mayor pro tem Joe Michaels, filling in for Mayor Ed Delgado, banged the gavel.
“Wait. Stop, stop,” Michaels said. “This is not a back-and-forth discussion. This is public comment. They get to speak, OK?”
The meeting continued, lasting just under 45 minutes.
‘Gloves Off’
Soon after, Fields spoke with Fronapfel in the town hall parking lot.
A video Fronapfel shared on social media shows her getting into her side-by-side as Fields makes a beeline toward the vehicle.
The video is not audible.
“One of the things she said – what I had an issue with – is that I continually attack our town clerk,” Fields said in an interview with Cowboy State Daily on Monday.
He said he asked her about it in the parking lot.
“I just went over to her and was like, ‘What the hell was that about, Sue? ‘ ” Fields said. “I told her the gloves are off.”
Fronapfel: 'Yes to a Threat'
In her police statement viewed by Cowboy State Daily, Fronapfel reported that Fields approached her and said, “Sue, for the last year I’ve watched your husband. I will expose him.”
Fronapfel’s report continues: “I asked him, ‘Are you threatening me?’ He said yes. The gloves are on and it’s on. Yes to a threat. I came in and asked the remaining city council meetings what to do.”
Fronapfel shared on social media, “This video shows, Jeremiah Fields, Dale Harris, Shawna Riechert, and Jeff Thomas. The video clearly shows Fields telling me how he is going to expose my husband, and the gloves are on. When I asked if he was threatening me, he said yes. Than (sic) yelled it. The other 3 told the cop, they saw nothing. Yet ya can see them at the back of the car watching.”
According to police statements shared with Cowboy State Daily, three witnesses shared their version of events.
Jeffrey Thomas, who is also running for a council seat, reported, “At no time did I witness Mr. Fields approach Mrs. Fronapfel in a threatening manner, nor was there ever any physical threat or action on his part.”
According to council member Dave Harris’ statement, “I heard Jeremiah tell Sue the gloves are off. Done being Mister Nice Guy. I did not think that was a threat.”
Shawna Reichert, who is running for mayor against Fronapfel’s husband, said in a typed statement she overheard Fields tell Fronapfel, “The gloves are off. I am not covering Mike’s lies up anymore. You know he has done a lot of shady shit.”
She said Fronapfel then asked Fields, “Are you threatening me?”
Fields responded, “No, it’s not a threat, but a promise.”
Fields said he was angry that Fronapfel reported that witnesses told police they didn’t see anything.
No Charges Filed
In his own social media post on the Guensey Rants and Raves page, Fields wrote, “I did not approach Sue after the meeting for no reason. I approached her because of the false accusations and comments she had just made during the town council meetings.
“I decided I was no longer going to remain silent about what I believe occurred during Mike’s time working for the town.”
“I told Sue, ‘The gloves are off.’ I told her I was no longer going to cover up or remain silent about things involving Mike. When she asked if I was threatening her, I told her, ‘No, it’s not a threat, but a promise.’
“The promise was simple: I was going to start bringing these matters forward and putting the documentation in front of the public."
Fields said he did not threaten physical harm. He said he did not touch Fronapfel, block her movement, make a threatening gesture toward her or pursue her after the conversation.
“I made my statement and walked away,” he said.
After the dispute, Fields said police chief Jay Harrison came to his house and asked him to fill out a witness statement.
Fields complied, and said he asked for the statement to be sent to the town attorney and county attorney for review.
No charges were filed and neither the attorney nor the police chief found wrongdoing.
Fronapfel did not return Cowboy State Daily’s call or text message before publication.
In his interview with Cowboy State Daily, Fields admitted his “bullshit” response to Fronapfel was unprofessional.
“I have zero issues with citizens bringing to light any of my mistakes,” he said. “I’ll be accountable and transparent and honest. What I won’t tolerate is false accusations.”
Mike Fronapfel
Fields has criticized Fronapfel’s husband for pushing through large invoices without the town council’s approval.
After his statement that he would expose the former public works superintendent, Fields publicly shared a five-page service order from Bob Ruwart Motors in Wheatland for the Town of Guernsey. The order was printed on May 14, 2026, and shows an invoice total of $17,525.07 for vehicle repairs.
According to the town’s purchase policy viewed by Cowboy State Daily, expenditures over $5,001 are supposed to be brought before the town council for approval and written quotes from more than two vendors are required “provided comparable goods and/or services are available from more than one vendor.”
“The expenditure was more than three times the threshold, but it was never brought before the council for the required approval and vote,” Fields said. “It has to be approved by the department head and approval by council. That wasn’t done.”
Cowboy State Daily was unable to reach Mike Fronapfel for comment.
Come November
Fields and Sue Fronapfel competed for a council seat in the 2024 elections. Fields, who moved to Guernsey from Colorado in 2022, defeated Fronapfel, who regularly shows up around town as Mrs. Claus to her husband’s Santa Claus during the Christmas season.
Two council seats are up for re-election in November. Four candidates are vying for the slots – Kellie Augustyn, Jeffery Thomas, Penny Wells (incumbent) and Fronapfel.
Fronapfel earned just over 15% of the vote in the primary election, with 608 total votes cast. Thomas came in second, with just over 26%.
Reichert swept the primary elections with just over 54% of the total vote. Mike Fronapfel came in second with just under 39%.
“Our politics are kind of crazy right now,” Reichert told Cowboy State Daily.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
