By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
TAYLOR — Lynn Cleary will remain the city treasurer for the time being after City Council voted against receiving and filing her letter of resignation Tuesday.
“It was voted down to receive and file it,” Council Chairwoman Cheryl Burke said. “It was spontaneous: No, we don’t accept that you’re resigning.”
Cleary’s letter of resignation was to be read into the record, but a 4-1 vote of the council went against officially receiving and filing the letter, leaving Cleary in the position until further notice. Councilwoman Jill Brandana voted in favor of accepting the resignation.
Cleary, who in February agreed to step in as treasurer to complete the term vacated last year by Wayne Avery, told council on Sept. 4 of her intention to resign. A former Lincoln Consolidated Schools superintendent, Cleary was retired and living in Florida when she accepted the position. Since then she decided to return to her retirement and told council she hoped to leave by the end of October.
Mayor Jeffrey Lamarand said that city charter requires that a resignation must be submitted to council and formally received and filed.
“It was acknowledged,” Lamarand said, “but they voted not to receive and file the letter.”
The city charter also dictates that if an elected official leaves office, council must appoint a replacement within a reasonable period of time. When Avery left the office in June 2011, a series of debates among city council left the position vacant until February when Cleary agreed to assume the responsibility. Appointment attempts included that of Councilwoman Jacklyn Molner; council approval was vetoed by Lamarand as Molner had not resigned her council seat. The issue remained dormant until earlier this year.
Cleary did not respond to requests for comment.
Burke said she understood Cleary’s decision to return to Florida, and believes she will remain in the office until a replacement is identified.
“She won’t leave us in the lurch, she’ll help us out” Burke said. “I totally understand why she doesn’t want to be here.”