CASSOPOLIS — Cass County commissioners Thursday night accepted Administrator Charles H. Cleaver’s resignation “with regret.”

Cleaver, who started in March 2011 as the county’s third administrator, on Valentine’s Day sent his resignation to Chair Minnie Warren.

“We were getting ready to have an evaluation meeting” on his performance when the letter came, Warren said.

By terms of his contract, “I understand I am entitled to the continuation of my salary and benefits for two months,” wrote Cleaver, who did not attend.

He also requested payment for unused vacation.

“Thank you for the opportunity to navigate Cass County through some unfinished tasks” and “save funds along the way,” Cleaver concluded.

Vice Chair Ed Goodman said, “He is still available to us by phone calls if we need any information from him.

“He’s agreed to help us out in any way he can in these two months he’s going to be collecting salary.”

Asked at Dowagiac Rotary Club last July what had been his biggest surprise, personally or professionally, coming to Cass County, he replied, “I thought I was busy in Saginaw County.

“Cass County is a whole new definition of busy. We have three people doing the work of 18 up there. Very, very hectic, a lot of meetings.

“There have been a lot of fires to put out.”