Former Police Chief Wins Mayor’s Race In Wathena

Posted 8 months ago

By John P Tretbar

Brian Walker won election as Mayor of the City of Wathena, Kansas Tuesday, beating incumbent Robert Ryser by four votes.

There were four “scattered” write in votes.

Walker resigned as the city’s police chief nearly two years ago after the city council suspended him.

There were widespread rumors in Wathena about what prompted the the suspension.

 

Numerous city officials, including Ryser, refused to comment at the time, calling it a “personnel matter.”   The Kansas Attorney General’s Office announced it would not pursue any charges in the matter.

In other mayoral races in Doniphan County, George Mitchell won in Elwood, beating Chuck Adkins 118-109. In Troy, Tim Hanlan beat out David Horton and Margaret Sutherland. Write-in candidate Billy Lynn Frump beat two other candidates for mayor of Severance.

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