Wymore council accepts police chief’s resignation, enters executive session to discuss personnel

The Wymore City Council on June 5 accepted the resignation of Police Chief Bobby Martinez and took personnel matters into executive session.

Council members presented and accepted Martinez’s resignation (motion by Sue Sapp, seconded by Max Allen; carried 4-0). Council members Max Allen and Neil Van Boening expressed disagreement with some of the reasons given for the resignation and asked questions about next steps.

Mayor Collin Meints said the Gage County Sheriff’s Department will respond to 911 calls, handle matters related to state statutes and dangerous (biting) dogs, and that city ordinance violations will be forwarded to the City Office while the city determines how to staff local enforcement. The minutes record that the Police Department Advisory Committee will be involved in planning next steps.

The council voted to enter executive session at 7:43 p.m. “for the protection of the public interest and the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual” (motion by Max Allen, seconded by Sue Sapp; carried 4-0). The council left executive session at 8:57 p.m. Afterward, Bryan Davidson of the Police Department Advisory Committee urged the council to pursue rebuilding the police department. Fire Chief Mark Meints, described in the minutes as the last remaining member of the police department, asked the council for guidance; City Attorney Andy Carothers said the chief can take direction from the mayor on matters not on the agenda. The city clerk was instructed to add an Ordinance Officer and discussion of police-department activities to the next council agenda.

The minutes do not record an interim appointment to lead the local police department or a timeline for rebuilding; those items were left for follow-up and the next meeting’s agenda.