Dear Editor,
I’d like to express my support for Chief Couch and for those citizens who are trying to make a difference in the way business is conducted in this city. It should not be one man’s decision as to how the city is run.
I’m glad to see that we have a few people on the council who are thinking for themselves instead of just going along with everything the Mayor and City Administrator Partington decide ahead of time should be done. They truly have my respect and come Nov. I hope we can get more members who truly want to do what is right for this city.
I can understand why Councilwoman Berryman went along with the Mayor on this idea to suspend Chief Couch, but I sure don’t understand the reason why Councilwoman Allene Owen did. I would think that as a candidate running for Mayor in November she would have wanted this problem resolved properly before the election. Surely she should have known that with the fantastic job Chief Couch has been doing since taking on his job as Police Chief that the general public would not take this lying down.
Too many problems have just been swept under the rug and left unresolved because people have gotten the idea that you can’t fight City Hall. It is time to get these problems solved and be open to the citizens of the community so things don’t have to reach boiling point before anything is accomplished. Chief Couch has had more contact with the citizens of this community than any other person in his position and it has left a good feeling among the citizens. He has opened his door to the members of his department and truly worked to make a difference. They will continue to serve the community to the best of their ability until this problem is resolved.
We need to get people on board who are interested in keeping good quality policemen on OUR departments instead of having them get their training at our cost and then go to other communities that pay better. We need people to head up our city departments who know their job and are willing to do it to the best of their ability. We need to get to work on taking care of the infrastructure of the city so we can all be proud of what we have. We are really falling behind in keeping up the things that really matter.
Like Don Halbower, “It is my hope that our city council will give Chief Couch the opportunity to continue to lead our police force without further strife and or litigation.” It is also my hope that come November the people of this community will really get to know who is running for the council positions and find out what they want to do for our community but most importantly they will get out and VOTE!!!

Marge Bieberle
Great Bend