Anderson County commissioners have approved a legal settlement with former County Emergency Preparedness Director, Mark Locke, however details of the settlement were not released. Locke, who is also the mayor of the City of Garnett, was fired from his county job in January after a unsuccessful run for Anderson County Sheriff in the fall of 2024, which led to a disagreement with General Public Department Director, Troy Armstrong, who supported Wes McClain’s winning candidacy. The disagreement apparently continued with city firemen during a January fire in Garnett, immediately prior to Locke’s dismissal.
Under the Kansas Open Records Act, “records made, maintained or kept by or in possession of any public agency are open for public inspection, to include settlement agreements.” If a county commission, its counsel, or an insurer settles a claim, that agreement is a public record once executed. But once the matter is settled and paid, courts have ruled that the settlement amount, terms, and parties are open to the public — particularly when taxpayer funds are involved”. The county’s legal counselor James Campbell confirmed the document was a public record but has not been provided to the media.
