All is quiet on city matters in Great Bend on a week without a city council meeting. An official date and time for Great Bend Police Chief Cliff Couch’s suspension hearing is still unknown.

When Couch was suspended on July 24 with pay, he filed his notice for a hearing on July 28 for a chance at a rebuttal in front of the same city council that voted for his suspension with possible termination.

As for Couch, who has been off work for over a month now, he says his focus it to get back to work.

Cliff Couch Audio

The notice for Couch’s suspension mentioned a hearing would be set within two weeks of his notice, with the council getting the final say following the hearing. Couch’s hearing was pushed back to a later date because he switched attorneys. Couch is now represented by Randy Rathbun, from Depew Gillen Rathbun & McInteer from Wichita.

At the June 5 council meeting, Couch made allegations towards former City Administrator Howard Partington and Mayor Mike Allison for misconduct and unethical procedures. A series of executive sessions later led to his suspension.

The next city council meeting will be Tuesday, September 5 at 7:30 p.m.