Names keep getting added to the list of resignations for the City of Great Bend. Thursday morning, Great Bend City Council member Wayne Henneke announced he was resigning his position on the city council.

Henneke has been working in city government since 1974, and served as Finance Director / City Clerk for Great Bend from 1996-2012. Following his retirement as city clerk, Henneke was elected to the city council in the spring of 2013 to represent Ward 2.

Henneke voted in favor of suspending Great Bend Police Chief Cliff Couch at the special meeting held on July 24, 2017. Couch was suspended following discussion regarding the police chief’s statements of possible misconduct with city administration.

At the city council meeting on August 7, in front of over 400 citizens, Henneke stated he wanted to hear it out of Couch’s mouth that the police chief could work with City Administrator Howard Partington to do what is best for the City of Great Bend. Henneke noted if he heard it from Couch’s mouth, then he would reconsider his vote to uphold the suspension with possible termination. After Couch addressed the council and mentioned he was willing to work with whoever, Henneke declined to change his vote, causing many frustrated citizens to question Henneke for going back on his word. The voted eventually ended in a 4-4 tie, with Mayor Mike Allison breaking the tie to keep the suspension. With Henneke’s resignation, that would leave four votes in favor of reinstating Couch (Dana Dawson, Cory Zimmerman, Brock McPherson, Mike Boys) and three votes to keep the suspension (Vicki Berryman, Joel Jackson, and Allene Owen).

Henneke’s status on the city council over the past four years was also questioned at the August 7 meeting. Although retired, Henneke was still being paid by the city to help with the budget and other consulting work. Public record shows Henneke was paid over $17,000 from August 2016 to August 2017. Being on the city council while employed with the City of Great Bend goes against the Great Bend Ethics Policy.

In a brief written statement, Henneke said, “With the turmoil in the City such as it is, and the City Administrator resigning, I do not need or want the stress. I am resigning my position effective immediately.”

Partington resigned his position August 16 after 36 years in the position. Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napolitano announced his retirement August 11 and will be effective September 1, 2017.

City Attorney Bob Suelter has agreed to serve as the interim city administrator for a short period of time. Addressing the city administrator position has been placed on the next city council meeting agenda for August 21. Allison has been in contact with the Kansas League of Municipalities in hopes of getting another interim city administrator until the beginning of the year.

At the August 7 city council meeting, Dawson requested that a forensic audit be completed on the city. In the aftermath of these resignations, Dawson asked to have the agenda item removed.

The meeting Monday will be held at the Great Bend Events Center, 3111 10th Street, beginning at 7:30 p.m.