Trustee Farmer resigns

Published 2:17 pm Wednesday, June 25, 2008

By By NORMA LERNER / Vigilant/Argus
NILES – Shelby Farmer, a Howard Township trustee, resigned last week, following her displeasure with the board's decision to change course and not post signs to keep trucks off of Barron Lake Road, a primary road in the township. Her decision followed a heated discussion among board members in a controversial 4 to 3 vote.
Farmer, who voted to continue to restrict trucks from using Barron Lake Road, said in a scribbled resignation note she read and handed to Clerk Shirley Tuttle, "I tender my resignation as trustee effective immediately. I regret I cannot work with board members who allow themselves to be intimidated instead of serving."
Farmer, who maintained not to accept pay for serving as trustee, put the funds in an account to pay attorney fees for ordinances drawn to restrict truck traffic. The board earlier approved a motion to reimburse Farmer for attorney fees to John Bauckam of Kalamazoo of about $1,100. Farmer said she would not accept it.
Farmer said before her resignation that she regretted some of the things she has said over the past three to four years. She said some have encouraged her to run in the next election as clerk and have contributed toward her campaign expenses. "I will return the money some have given me. You can cast your vote for Sheri Wozniak for the next election."
Wozniak, a Democrat, is seeking the four-year clerk's term and will challenge incumbent Republican Shirley Tuttle in the Nov. 4 general election. Farmer's name will appear as a Republican candidate for clerk on the Aug. 5 primary ballot, although her comments indicated she would not be running.
In the 4 to 3 vote not to restrict truck traffic on Barron Lake Road and repeal ordinances 172 and 177, trustees Irving Frost, Mike Richmond, Sutherland and Tuttle voted for the motion by Frost. Farmer, George Johnson and Treasurer Shaune Timm voted to continue.