Tempers flare at Crofton city council meeting after mayor’s decision to dismiss officers

CROFTON, Neb. — Dozens of Crofton citizens gathered at the city auditorium for the city council meeting as the city deals with the aftermath of the dismissal of former police chief John Carter.

Carter was dismissed via a letter from Mayor Bob Evans on June 27, and Crofton has been without police on staff since then.

According to the meeting agenda, Carter was going to appeal the employment decision but wanted to have his attorney present before talking with the council. 

The council and Carter agreed to meet in an executive session at a later date to discuss the decision.

Carter said he has not been told the reason he was fired by Evans.

While not on the meeting agenda, Evans invited Alonzo Denney, chairman of the Santee Sioux Nation, to talk about the language in a recent grant application.

“There is many other ways and resources you can go about obtaining funding besides throwing another nation under the bus.  We are a proud nation.  We are a proud people. Yes, we all have our problems. Yes we all have drugs run through our communities, if that is the case.  But do not, please and I beg of you, do not throw our nation under the bus.”

According to Denney, the grant application said the problems of the Crofton community, such as drugs and human trafficking, stem from the neighboring reservations. 

Denney called for a rewriting of the grant and said he would fight to prevent Crofton from receiving the grant. 

Carter said the information on the grant was not disseminated by him and others contributed in writing the grant. 

He also alleges Evans refused to change the wording of the grant. Evans declined to comment.

During the meeting, council set the date for council member James Murphy’s recall election for September 12. A half-cent levy for swimming pool facilities will also be on the ballot.