Richard Raupe, long-time Okarche mayor and town administrator since February 2016, has been dismissed.

After a majority on the board changed in 2019 elections, members have voted to end Raupe’s employment and eliminated the position.

The unanimous decision followed an executive session from which Raupe was excluded.

Mayor Jeff Sadler announced that Raupe’s duties would be assigned to board members, according to an article in the Okarche Warrior newspaper. Raupe served as mayor for 15 of the 23 years he had served on the Okarche Board of Trustees.

He resigned after the January 2016 meeting of the Okarche board. His letter of resignation was formally accepted at a special meeting Feb. 16, 2016, and he was hired as town administrator at the same meeting.

Raupe is retired as a contract teacher of the federal prison at El Reno.

It was announced that the balance of his administrator salary would be paid over four months with the balance to be paid by July 1.

It was reported that Raupe had received an annual salary of $70,000, plus a pension and other benefits.

Raupe left the meeting after the vote was taken to eliminate his position.