It appears Christine Burns will remain an Oxford Village employee for the time being, but she is actively pursuing employment elsewhere.
Last week, council voted 4-1 to set aside acceptance of her Feb. 13 letter of resignation until its March 13 meeting in order to clarify some issues regarding job duties and roles, and work out the apparent confusion surrounding the chain of command in the village.
‘I will stay on as long as you want me to be here,? she told council. ‘I just want to do what’s right for the community.?
One of two things will happen March 13, either council will accept Burns? resignation or she will rescind it.
Nearly a month ago, Burns announced she was resigning from her positions as village clerk, treasurer and assistant manager to spend more time with her husband and two children.
However, it was reported in the Cedar Springs Post that Burns is one of five candidates for the city manager job in Cedar Springs, Michigan. She will be interviewed on Saturday, March 10. Later that day, the Cedar Springs Council is expected to hire its new manager.
Burns admitted she was trying to be diplomatic in her letter by not stating the other reasons for her resignation.
‘I wanted to leave with dignity and not give anybody a black-eye,? she said. ‘I’m not out to get anybody.?
But village officials appear to be making every effort to convince Burns to stay.
A special council meeting, originally suggested by Councilman Chris Bishop, was held March 6 to clarify Burns? various job descriptions, particularly her role as clerk and to whom the clerk reports.
The council unanimously approved three motions during its three-hour meeting ? 1) A clarification in the clerk’s contract stating she reports directly to council; 2) The clerk’s contract includes an added responsibility of treasurer-like duties; 3) Burns and Manager Joe Young will meet to clarify job duties and roles, and to whom office staff reports.
Burns said she appreciates the ‘commitment? to keeping her here that council has demonstrated, but whether she stays or goes will depend on if the village follows through to resolve the issues at hand ? meaning she answers to council only, the existing village job descriptions are either enforced as is or revised and lastly, it’s clarified to whom the deputy clerk and deputy treasurer answer to.
At the Feb. 27 meeting, council members Bishop and Teri Stiles, Oxford Township Treasurer Joe Ferrari, Planning and missioner John DuVal and former village President Sue Bossardet all said they would like to see her stay.
‘I’m really upset about your leaving. I think you know a lot. I think you know what you’re doing,? said Stiles, noting she’s witnessed first-hand that Burns is ‘respected by many of (her) peers.?
Ferrari attributed the improved relations between the township and village to Burns tenure.
‘There’s been an incredibly positive working relationship between the village and the township that has resulted in better cooperation and less duplication of services for both municipalities. This saved us countless amounts of money,? he said.
Although Burns cited time with family as the official reason for leaving in her letter, based on the discussion that ensued at the meeting, it appears there were other factors at work.
‘There have been things I have brought up in the past and that I’ve been told I was not allowed to put on the agenda,? she said. ‘There are things I have been directed to do that I don’t feel are necessarily the right things to do.?
‘I need to be able to look myself in the mirror every morning and know that I did the right thing,? Burns added.
As an example, she cited an incident from a couple of meetings ago where she formally presented council with information from the state regarding the proper way to do budget amendments and which items are and are not regarded as legitimate expenses.
‘I was basically condemned in public for trying to do the right thing,? Burns said. ‘I was very taken aback at the reaction I received. I felt that maybe you didn’t want to hear that information.?
Village President George Del Vigna said he felt Burns displayed a ‘little bit of insubordination? that night because she told council she didn’t show him the information first because she didn’t think he would have allowed it to be presented during the meeting.
‘I have not stopped anyone from adding to the agenda,? he said.
Del Vigna said Burns didn’t present the information in the ‘proper manner? because she didn’t follow the right ‘procedure and protocol,? meaning presenting it to Manager Young and himself first.
‘You’re sure as hell not communicating with me,? the council president said.
Doing things on her own does ‘not accomplish anything,? according to Del Vigna. ‘It creates havoc.?
Some council members disagreed with Del Vigna’s assessment. ‘If an employee comes to us for something they see happening that is not right, not forthright, we as a council in no way should ever, ever discourage that from happening,? Bishop said.
‘I don’t think anyone should be reprimanded or embarrassed in public because they brought further information,? Stiles said. ‘I welcome any employee in the Village of Oxford to feel free to come and talk to me.?
DuVal suggested that one of the problems may be council’s previous decision to combine the clerk, treasurer and assistant manager positions in one person.
‘You mixed responsibilities into the clerk’s position and you have clouded it,? he said.
DuVal asserted this has created confusion about whom Burns reports to ? council or the village manager.
According to the village charter, the clerk is appointed by council and reports directly to that body whereas the treasurer is appointed by the village manager and serves at his pleasure. The assistant manager position also reports to the village manager.
Burns admitted to council that it’s ‘very cloudy on who I work for and who I report to,? but it’s her understanding that, ‘My allegiance and my alliance, first and foremost, is to the five of you.?
‘You have made part of that person’s (the clerk) responsibilities subordinate to the manager’s role,? DuVal said. ‘By doing so you have compromised the most important check and balance that you as a board have.?
The clerk’s role is defined in the village charter as ‘an economist position that serves at the will of council,? DuVal explained. ‘You have to retain the integrity of that. That is the most valuable check and balance in the process of dealing with the people’s assets (from presenting the budget to presenting information to the auditors).?
DuVal noted that ‘historically? the clerk’s position has been ‘critical? in preparing and reviewing the budget.
‘The clerk can be and the clerk should be a huge resource in that process,? he said.
A number of council members agreed with DuVal’s assessment of the situation.
‘Maybe we need to clearly define the role of clerk,? Bishop said. ‘Maybe we’ve muddied the water here a little bit. Perhaps if we define that role as clerk, maybe we can salvage our relationship with our existing clerk. I know I’m in favor of that.?
Bishop agreed with DuVal about how important the clerk’s position is to keeping the village government honest. ‘We have to have that check and balance in our administration or we could be spoon-fed information and become a rubber stamp,? Bishop said.
Del Vigna noted that council decided to combine the three positions as a ‘savings of dollars and cents.?
‘Maybe our decision at the time wasn’t the best, but that’s what happened,? he said.
‘Shame on us for not checking the charter (when those positions were combined),? said Councilman Tom Benner, who noted either council or village attorney Bob Bunting should have looked into that.
Manager Young expressed his regret that Burns was questioned during a council meeting.
‘It’s unfortunate that she had to go through all that tonight in public,? he said.
‘I don’t ever feel uncomfortable standing up here on camera or discussing this because I think the ultimate goal of any municipality is transparency,? Burns replied. ‘Don’t ever feel like you’re putting me on the spot ? that’s my job. Anytime you want to ask me anything ? what you see is what you get.?