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La Cygne council accepts city attorney resignation, appoints interim legal counsel and adjusts police leadership ahead of medical leave
Summary
City Attorney John Sutherland resigned and council accepted his resignation; Burton Harding was contracted as interim city attorney and later appointed permanent city attorney. Separately the council adjusted police leadership when Chief Tate West alerted the city to an upcoming medical leave: Tate West was moved to assistant chief and Corporal Kurtis West named interim chief; the council authorized advertising for a permanent police chief.
The city experienced multiple senior personnel changes in 2019. In May the council accepted the resignation of City Attorney John Sutherland. Council later reviewed proposals and engaged Burton Harding as interim city attorney; after review the council appointed Harding to the city attorney role and retained outside counsel for as-needed matters.
In December Chief Tate West notified the council of an upcoming medical leave. The council voted to remove West from the appointed post of Police Chief effective Dec. 20 and instead appointed him Assistant Police Chief; the council then named Corporal Kurtis West interim Police Chief effective the same date and authorized advertising the permanent chief position. The motions were made in open session and recorded in the minutes.
Council members emphasized continuity: the interim appointments and retained legal services were intended to keep municipal operations steady while recruitment and selection processes run. The city also approved increased training and equipment purchases for the police department as part of the staffing transition.
