KALAMAZOO TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Nearly a month after the Kalamazoo Township Board of Trustees petitioned the Governor to remove its treasurer, she decided to resign from office.
Sherine Miller gave up her role leading the township's finances, according to Kalamazoo Township Supervisor David Combs. Her official resignation date was Monday, March 16.
Miller had been scrutinized for months regarding her performance as treasurer. A third-party report commissioned by the board found she was incapable of completing the duties of the elected position, putting the township's finances at risk.
In January, the Board of Trustees voted to censure Miller, limit her access to financial systems, and restrict the amount of time she can spend in the office to just a handful of days.
In a statement, the board said it would have completely stripped Miller of all duties, but had to allow her to fulfill parts of the job mandated in state law.
Then in February, the trustees formally requested Governor Whitmer remove Miller from office. Instead of having to wait for a response from Lansing, the township can now move forward with appointing a replacement.
Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo Township trustees petition Whitmer to remove their treasurer
Along with Miller's resignation, the township agreed to a separation package, said Combs.
"Our responsibility is to ensure that township services are carried out with the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and professionalism,” said Combs. “This agreement allows the Township to move forward and focus on what matters most — providing reliable services to our community.”
The township board committed to following state law as it fills the vacant treasurer role.
In a statement released through her attorney, Miller said she did not wish to continue a situation causing division in the township.
"Ms. Miller’s agreement should not be mistaken for an admission that the Board acted properly or to the validity of any of the allegations made against her, which she adamantly disputes," attorney Brad Sysol wrote to FOX 17. "My client was fully prepared to challenge both in court. She made the decision to resolve this matter solely out of her respect for the citizens she was elected to serve. She chose the public interest over her personal desire to defend and vindicate her reputation in court."
Sysol claimed the board's decision to remove most of Miller's duties made it impossible for her to serve as treasurer.
"No elected official should be prevented from carrying out the lawful duties of the office to which she was elected," the letter concluded.
Read the full statement from Miler's attorney below
Statement by Brad H. Sysol Regarding Sherine Miller by WXMI
A report of "incompetence"
The report by law firm Clark Hill detailed several complaints by township staff of Miller interfering with responsibilities not part of the treasurer's office. Over her nine plus years in office, a number of employees lodged complaints about Miller, saying she took work away from them to do herself, but then later asked for their help to fix problems with her work, the report said.
The Township Board and Supervisor both directed Miller to stop directing staff unilaterally on projects, but she continued to do so, the report found.
At least one former employee told investigators they left the township solely because of the treasurer.
The township's deputy treasurer left in August 2025 and Miller failed to appoint a new person into the role.
Kalamazoo
'Incompetent': Report calls Kalamazoo Township Treasurer a financial hazard
Miller conducted her own HR investigations, despite not being the township's Human Resource officer, the report found.
The report said Miller was "incapable of managing Township assessments and generating property tax bills." She also could not balance bank statements, write treasurer reports, use excel spreadsheets, or complete the tasks her position is required to by law.
A major concern of investigators was how she would handle financing $50 million worth of bonds, which were scheduled to be placed out for bids on January 15, 2026, during the time Miller was under investigation. She told at least one of the township's banks she was being investigated, which investigators feared could lower the township's bond rating, increasing the interest rate it would have to pay on the $50 million it was borrowing.
It could not be determined if Miller revealed the investigation to the bank maliciously or if it was poor judgement, the report said.
READ THE FULL REPORT BELOW
Kalamazoo Twp - Investigation Report - Treasurer SM - REDACTE(285982775.1) (3) by WXMI
Miller also had a history of abysmal record-keeping, with the report highlighting that she shredded several documents when asked to work from home on December 17, 2025. What information those documents contained wasn't known to township administrators.
Superintendent Moored had to step in to ensure the winter tax bills were prepared on time. Moored and several other staff experienced in tax bills rushed to get the documents out in November. Miller admitted late in the process she did not know how to properly calculate tax bills, the report found.
If left to her own devices, Miller would have issued the tax bills based on an outdated database of assessments, which would have resulted in shorting the township nearly $150,000 in property taxes in 2026, the report said.
Investigators tried to interview Miller as part of the report, but she canceled the first date to give her side. At a rescheduled interview, she was accompanied by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to sit in on the conversation, which investigators denied. Miller then walked out without answering any questions, the report claimed.
On January 26, Miller addressed the board during public comment, pushing back against the censure and limited access to records.
"I reserve all rights and attend to due course to respond to the allegations, to seek immediate restoration of my statutory duties, and to pursue all appropriate legal and equitable remedies," said Miller.
WATCH: Township Treasurer speaks after being censured
