Mendon man charged with striking school board member in face pleads guilty to misdemeanor

QUINCY — A Mendon man charged with striking a school board member at a meeting of the Mendon School Board in September pled guilty to a misdemeanor on Wednesday morning in Adams County Circuit Court.

Alex S. Felde, 31, originally faced charges of aggravated battery of a school employee and aggravated battery in a public place. Both charges are Class 3 felonies.

However, both felonies were dismissed when Felde agreed to a fully negotiated plea of disorderly conduct, a Class C misdemeanor. Felde was given 12 months of conditional discharge and must perform 30 hours of community service. The conviction will be removed from Felde’s record (but not the arrest) in one year if he stays out of trouble. He was represented by Drew Schnack.

Felde told Judge Tad Brenner he will complete his community service “within three months.”

Deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department responded Sept. 1 to a disturbance at the CUSD No. 4 Board of Education meeting at Unity High School in Mendon. 

Upon arrival at the scene, deputies learned Felde had been removed from the school and was allegedly involved in some type physical altercation. Deputies learned Felde was previously present at the school board meeting and allegedly had caused a disruption. School officials attempted to escort Felde out of the meeting, and he allegedly struck School Board member Steven Arnsman in the face and left the school.