Protestors call for New Miami mayor’s resignation

April 18--NEW MIAMI -- About two dozen New Miami residents gathered outside of the village hall Thursday, calling for Mayor Patti Hanes to resign.

Standing room only was available at the village's meeting Thursday as more than 50 residents packed the hall to express concerns over the future of the village, the police department and it's chief, Kenneth Cheek, who has been on paid administrative leave since April 4.

About two dozen residents held a rally before the council meeting to call for Hanes' resignation. Some residents held signs during the meeting, including one that read "Recall the Mayor."

Several former New Miami police officers at the rally told the Journal-News that Hanes, earlier this week, had terminated their positions.

Three officers were fired this week, Hanes confirmed during a regularly scheduled village council meeting Thursday. She said others haven't filled out proper paperwork to work for the police department that disqualify them from service, but she was unsure how many police officers were in that situation.

Hanes declined to comment on the calls for her resignation and the village council would not take any questions Thursday related to Cheek's employment status until he goes through a disciplinary hearing. That hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Cheek was suspended earlier this month during a meeting after the village discovered that it could not get insurance coverage for the police department because of excessive lawsuits. Insurers dropped the whole village from its plan last month and while the village has been able to get a new insurance plan, four insurers have denied coverage to the police department.

New Miami police Officer Adam Smith, the stepson of the police chief, said he was terminated by the mayor because of "nepotism" on Monday. Smith said he has put in more than 3,000 volunteer hours and nearly four years of work into the department, and his termination is disappointing.

"I've spent every day helping to build up this department so that we could function," he said.

Sandie Cheek, the police chief's wife, said that the mayor has filed paperwork against her husband that indicates she is moving to fire him because he didn't properly discipline an officer and a lawsuit, settled out of court in February, claims the police chief choked a suspect during an arrest two years ago.

"It is odd," Sandie Cheek said of her husband's suspension. "This court case is already over. He's never been talked to about it before. There shouldn't be any reason this is going on. He's never had a write up in his entire career. "

Village Solicitor Dennis Adam confirmed Thursday that Hanes has filed charges to remove Cheek. He will be on administrative leave until his hearing next week.

Several residents attended Thursday's meeting to complain about various issues, including the village's code enforcement and crumbling roads. Some said they want police back on the streets as soon as possible.

Village council member Paul Stidham told residents Thursday that he wants the police force to continue operations but it's too much of a liability to put officers on the streets until the village can get the department covered with an insurance plan again.

"I think everybody up here wants a police department," Stidham said of the village council and administrators.

The Journal-News will continue to update this story with more information as it becomes available.

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