To the editor:

I returned late Saturday night from a trip to Branson, Mo. Of course, I was eager to catch up on the local news. The first article in the Record that caught my eye was the resignation article. The article was well written.

I am sure Sarah Alam and all parties involved have learned a very valuable lesson. Yes, when you are a public servant and off duty, poor judgment may lead to an undesirable situation. I had only a short time to get to know her personally, and I was happy to have her as an officer of the police department.

That being said, during the short time Tyler Mermis has been the police chief, he has had to make some tough administrative decisions. I have been able to support those decisions. In Alam’s situation, he could have easily made a “political decision,” as City Attorney Keith Collett would say, but this would not have been in the best interest of the police department or the community.

Chief Mermis is a very caring person, but in order to keep the respect for the police department and this community, I think, he will make the best decisions for himself, the other officers, and the City of Marion.

— Marion Mayor Mary Olson