In front of a packed house Friday night, Geary City Council met to discuss what it should do about its beleaguered chief of police.
Cecil Harrall had been on a 30-day suspension after a shocking video came to light purportedly showing his wife beating his alleged mistress. However, there were multiple other incidents recently that pushed council to the brink.
One was a gunfire incident at the elementary school in which the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office stepped in after a non-investigation from Geary PD. Sheriff Travis Daughtery pointed out multiple mistakes and lack of action that essentially allowed the people involved to escape scrutiny.
Resident Courtney Ferguson, who is also a candidate for mayor, spoke at the meeting, outlining other issues. Her statement indicated the citizens no longer feel safe in their town, or that the law is applied equally to everyone. Another complaint was that some incidents were not reported to the police department for fear of retaliation and that there was no accountability in the department. Her statement ended with the opinion Harrall should be fired and not be eligible for a severance package.
The council convened into executive session at 6:06, sending everyone but the council members, city attorney, and Harrall out of the meeting room. Executive session is laid out in state statute for discussion of employment, hiring, firing, appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplining or resignation of any individual salaried public officer, or discussion of nego- The meeting agenda carried only the executive session. After an hour and eight minutes, during which Harrall stormed from the meeting room into the city offices, the council returned to open session. The motion was made to terminate the chief based on his inability to lead and remain honorable, effective immediately. Council member Mary Kay Wright was the lone nay vote, meaning Harrall was fired, 3-1.
The council then took up the matter of a severance package, although it was not on the agenda. It is possible the severance package was a legitimate continuation of the termination discussion, and was undertaken with the blessing of the city attorney.
Whether the severance was appropriate to take up without being posted on the agenda, it was brought up and dealt with. Council member Rocky Coleman said in making the motion that from a business standpoint, three months’ salary was a reasonable price for the soul of the city.
Wright sided with Coleman and voted ‘aye’ for the severance, while Allison Carter and Cody Hicks voted ‘nay’ against it. That left Mayor Bobby Allen in the tie breaker seat, and he agreed that Harrall should have a severance package.
The meeting adjourned immediately after the vote, even as someone in the audience shouted “Of course. You’re a short timer” at Allen.
Harrall told the television news crew there from Oklahoma City he had no comment after the meeting. A member of the audience shouted “He got a 30 day paid vacation, now he gets three months paid vacation?” to which the council did not respond.
The mayor is responsible for appointing an interim police chief, but as of Monday had not done so. Allen will leave office on or around May 11, following the election vote April 4. He is not seeking re-election.
Provided there is a clear winner from among the six candidates, the new mayor will be sworn in to office at the May meeting.