GOSHEN (KFSM) -- Goshen Police Chief Zebulon Rone voluntarily stepped down as chief after a city council member caught wind of a letter circulating, asking residents to donate funds to the small police department.
Rone explained to council members and the community at Tuesday night's (May 29) meeting that he sent a donation letter to a handful of people in the Property Owners Association, wanting them to put the donation letter in the resident newsletter as a way to generate extra funding for the force.
While some residents didn't mind the letter or donating, "It's really something police departments in lots of little towns. Goshen has kind of a limited budget when it comes to things like that," said Goshen resident Angie Driver.
Others found the letter misleading, "The council's concern about the donations was that they do provide and have provided everything that they have needed," said resident Carolyn Jordan.
Mayor Max Poye also explained that there was no rule against what the former chief did, "As far as I know, everything of any significance that has come to my attention I've dealt with the best way that I thought was right," said Mayor Poye.
However the council voted to draft a letter by the next meeting scheduled for June 12th to return the collected donations back to the residents.
There's no word on when or if the chief will be reinstated to his former position. For now he will remain a patrolman.