By SCOTT DAVIS
October 26, 2011
MASON - An effort to remove Shirley Rodgers, chairwoman of the Ingham County Road Commission, hit a roadblock Tuesday when the county commissioners declined to consider a motion to begin steps to force her from office.
Despite heated pleas from agency employees and residents to remove her, the county Board of Commissioners voted 10-5 to refer the matter back to the County Services Committee for further review Nov. 1.
The vote was mostly along party lines, with Brian McGrain being the lone Democrat to vote to at least consider the request Tuesday.
"The pickets aren't going away," said Stockbridge Township Supervisor Paul Risner, referring to a protest outside the County Courthouse before the meeting. "We will be out there as long as it takes. ... Ms. Rodgers needs to go."
In recent weeks, there has been a rising call for Rodgers to step down because of what some see as upheaval at the agency. A recent consultant's report contended the agency was riven with distrust among managers and employees, and it highlighted employee concerns that Rodgers improperly interjected herself into day-to-day management. Rodgers has said she merely was trying to implement fair hiring practices at the agency.
Moreover, Rodgers and other road board members have been criticized for pushing for the ouster of two agency managers. Jim Benjamin, formerly operations director, was fired earlier this month, and Tina Henry, finance director, has agreed to retire by the end of the year.
Rodgers, who also chairs the Lansing school board, could not be reached Tuesday night for comment.
Tuesday's resolution called for Rodgers to voluntarily step down, and if she refuses to do so, directs the Board of Commissioners to begin steps to force her removal.
Rodgers, appointed by the Democratic-controlled Board of Commissioners in 2007, is serving a six-year term and, under state law, can only be removed from office if there is evidence of "official misconduct," "habitual or willful neglect of duty" or incompetence.
After the meeting, county commissioner Randy Schafer, one of four Republicans who introduced the resolution, said Rodgers should be removed from office because she improperly initiated a police investigation into whether Benjamin twice used county resources for personal benefit.
According to a police report, Benjamin was cleared of any wrongdoing.
County commissioner Mark Grebner, a Democrat and chairman of the Board of Commissioners, argued that the resolution should first be considered at the County Services Committee so that commissioners can obtain a legal opinion on the matter.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen road commission employees and residents renewed their call for county commissioners to exercise greater oversight over the Road Commission. Before the meeting, several picketed with signs that read: "Remove Shirley Rodgers"
"I drive in this area 250 miles a day, and I want to do whatever we can to make sure we have a Road Commission that works," said Anne Clayton, a Lansing resident.
Brett Campbell, a Road Commission supervisor, said he is worried that Benjamin's departure will affect the agency's ability to deal with the coming snowfall.
"We have winter right around the corner, and we're going to have to decide which roads to salt," Campbell told county commissioners. "And you guys want to play politics.
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