MUSKEGON -
A Muskegon Politician has given up one of his two elected positions after a judge ordered him to do so.
Charles Nash resigned from the Muskegon Public School Board today after a judge ruled in favor of the County Prosecutor's findings that holding both offices was a conflict of interest.
Nash will still serve as County Commissioner while working on an appeal in the case.
May 26, 2009
A Muskegon County judge has decided Charles Nash has been giving a little too much of his time to the local community.
The judge has ordered Nash to give up one of his two elected positions.
Nash has been on the Muskegon Board of Education since 2007. After that, he was also elected to the County Commission. Earlier this year, the school district's attorney suggested there was a conflict of interest, so the County Prosecutor Tony Tague got involved.
Today, a judge said the two groups had legal contracts with each other. Nash now has until June 9th to give up one of the seats, but he says he plans to appeal the decision.
May 8, 2009
Charles Nash holds two public offices. He's been a Muskegon School Board member since 2007 and a Muskegon County Commissioner since the start of 2009. Earlier this year the district's attorney suggested there was a conflict of interest.
So the school board president contacted County Prosecutor Tony Tague. Tague asked Nash to resign. He disagreed.
"We did somewhat disagree, but I did direct him to talk with my attorney who had been assisting me," said Nash.
Nash is accused of violating the Incompatible Public Offices Act, a civil law.
"If someone declines to voluntarily resign, it's obligation under state law for the prosecutor to do a civil petition to the circuit court," said Tague.
The Muskegon Count Clerk's office said it's not illegal to hold two public offices in Michigan. It's up to the local prosecutor to investigate.
"Because there are contracts on both sides, he cannot look out for the interests of the school board while he's looking out for the interests of the county," said Tague.
Nash says the issue is a Healthy Kids Grant: federal money that the county filters out.
"The incompatibility law has a clause in it regarding incompatibility when a contract is involved, but we do not feel this is a normal contract," said Nash.
He thinks it's all been drummed up by people who don't want him on the school board. Nash told the board he'd resign if he could pick his successor. The district's attorney said that was illegal.
It's a civil case so there's no jail time or fine involved. Nash would just have to give up his seat. But that's not going to happen without a fight.
There's a motion hearing May 26th.
Charles Nash resigned from the Muskegon Public School Board today after a judge ruled in favor of the County Prosecutor's findings that holding both offices was a conflict of interest.
Nash will still serve as County Commissioner while working on an appeal in the case.
May 26, 2009
A Muskegon County judge has decided Charles Nash has been giving a little too much of his time to the local community.
The judge has ordered Nash to give up one of his two elected positions.
Nash has been on the Muskegon Board of Education since 2007. After that, he was also elected to the County Commission. Earlier this year, the school district's attorney suggested there was a conflict of interest, so the County Prosecutor Tony Tague got involved.
Today, a judge said the two groups had legal contracts with each other. Nash now has until June 9th to give up one of the seats, but he says he plans to appeal the decision.
May 8, 2009
Charles Nash holds two public offices. He's been a Muskegon School Board member since 2007 and a Muskegon County Commissioner since the start of 2009. Earlier this year the district's attorney suggested there was a conflict of interest.
So the school board president contacted County Prosecutor Tony Tague. Tague asked Nash to resign. He disagreed.
"We did somewhat disagree, but I did direct him to talk with my attorney who had been assisting me," said Nash.
Nash is accused of violating the Incompatible Public Offices Act, a civil law.
"If someone declines to voluntarily resign, it's obligation under state law for the prosecutor to do a civil petition to the circuit court," said Tague.
The Muskegon Count Clerk's office said it's not illegal to hold two public offices in Michigan. It's up to the local prosecutor to investigate.
"Because there are contracts on both sides, he cannot look out for the interests of the school board while he's looking out for the interests of the county," said Tague.
Nash says the issue is a Healthy Kids Grant: federal money that the county filters out.
"The incompatibility law has a clause in it regarding incompatibility when a contract is involved, but we do not feel this is a normal contract," said Nash.
He thinks it's all been drummed up by people who don't want him on the school board. Nash told the board he'd resign if he could pick his successor. The district's attorney said that was illegal.
It's a civil case so there's no jail time or fine involved. Nash would just have to give up his seat. But that's not going to happen without a fight.
There's a motion hearing May 26th.
