Batesville mayor expected to resign following prostitution arrest

BATESVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — Batesville Mayor Rick Fledderman is expected to submit his resignation Wednesday, WISH-TV has confirmed through Batesville residents who attended Tuesday night’s council meeting.

Former Ripley County Judge Henry Pictor spoke up during the meeting saying that he supported Mayor Fledderman but that his alleged actions should result in his immediate resignation.

“Even though I supported the mayor, I am terribly upset over what happened,” Pictor told WISH-TV by phone. “We are a laughing stock because of what he did.”

Fledderman was arrested and charged earlier this month with patronizing a prostitute. A probable cause affidavit says Fledderman found 42-year-old Randy Wigle-Stevens of Indianapolis through a website.

Wigle-Stevens was charged with prostitution, intimidation and failure to disclose dangerous communicable disease status.

Calls to council members were not immediately returned Tuesday night. The mayor’s phone number is not listed.

One resident who attended said the council started the meeting in executive session, which last more than an hour.

Once the executive session ended, the two items on the agenda included hiring an attorney for the council and entertaining the resignation of Mayor Fledderman, which is expected to be finalized Wednesday, the person said.

Pictor said as the council made a motion to adjourn, he stood up and spoke at the podium.

“I can forgive the mayor, but I can’t forgive the embarrassment he caused ,” Pictor told WISH-TV by phone Tuesday.

Pictor said he hopes that the mayor’s resignation does not include “concessions” that would allow Fledderman to receive pay and resign at a later date.

“We don’t need continued embarrassment to Batesville,” Pictor said.