---

   I am writing to express my concerns regarding the recent appointment of the open position of Woodrow Township Supervisor to someone who also holds the position of Cass County Planner.  I wrote an email to the Township regarding this. At the February 8 Township meeting to my disappointment my email was not read in its entirety. Which raises the question of the board’s transparency. It wasn’t about the person’s credentials, background or integrity. It was about the compatibility of the two positions. As written in the Township Manual, Chapter 4, page 20 “Public offices are incompatible when their functions are inconsistent, their performance resulting in antagonism and a conflict of duty, so that the incumbent of one cannot discharge with fidelity and propriety the duties of both.  Such antagonism is more likely to occur when one of the positions can interfere with or has any supervision over the other.”

   The County Planner’s job description, taken from the Cass County website states “that the position drafts land use policies and zoning ordinance, provides technical assistance and consultations to townships and interprets county regulations for townships.”  This is where the possibility to ‘interfere with or has any supervision over’ arises.  The question is not whether the County Planner will or will not interfere with, but rather that the possibility exists that he can.

   Therefore, it does not matter if the County Planner is the most honest respectable person alive, the possibility exists. Which makes the County Planner and the Township Supervisor positions incompatible.

---