The Ford County Record reports next week’s Paxton City Council meeting is expected to interest the community as to how the administration will proceed in its search for a new police chief.

The 7 pm meeting Tuesday, September 12th is at City Hall. Mayor Bill Ingold reportedly fired Chief Bob Bane last week. There’s been no comment from the mayor since the ‘Record” reported Bane was told to clean out his office August 29th. Personnel matters, under policy, are not discussed in open meetings.

Police Captain Coy Cornett is serving as interim-police chief. Cornett has been employed by the Paxton Police Department since Feb. 15, 1999.

Since the reported termination, Bane has avoided public comment. Pending litigation may have focus on a retaliation lawsuit. Conflict between Bane and the city administration has made news in the recent past.

Bane had been the city’s police chief since May 2006, when he was appointed by Mayor Ingold as a replacement for the retiring Ken Mutchmore. Bane had been with city for 18 years, serving as a captain since 2005.

Bane challenged the city in small-claims court last October, claiming the city owed him $6,848 in overtime pay for his attendance at city council meetings from May 2006 thru August 2015. A Judge ( Mark Fellheimer) ruled Bane is entitled to $1,190 of that $6800 claim.

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