Hundreds of people came out to speak out about the Bloomer cop controversy tonight (Feb. 28), but no one was supporting Mayor Randy Summerfield, out loud at least.

The council came out of closed session right before the end of the meeting. The four members unanimously approved a motion to rehire officer Chris King immediately as a permanent officer. That motion drew loud applause, but it doesn't change anything, because only Summerfield, who fired King in the first place, can re-hire him.

Many people at the meeting say they aren’t happy with the way Summerfield handled the situation.

"I think it stinks to high heaven. It's pretty smelly," says Bloomer resident Katherine Hartman.

"I don' t know the mayor personally, but I think it gives Bloomer a black eye," says Brian Rohland.

More than 300 people packed the Bloomer Middle School auditorium to express their support for the officer the mayor fired. The mayor, also the acting police chief, fired Chris King. The issue started after King responded to a call at a bar where Police Chief Mike Bungartz was drinking. Bungartz faces four misdemeanor charges related to the incident and was put on leave. One council member told us re-hiring King seems to be off the table.

“I don’t think there’s any convincing because he told us in the back he would not consider Chris (King) as a new patrol officer,” says Bloomer Alderwoman Janet Thur.

"It’s closed session. There is no way I’m going to comment on what was said in closed session," says Bloomer Mayor Randy Summerfield.

Right now everything is in Summerfield’s hands. Police Chief Bungartz is still on paid administrative leave and there's no telling when he’ll return as chief, if he ever does. Until all this is ironed out, the remaining Bloomer officers are working overtime to cover the shifts.