It appears Christine Burns will be in the Village of Oxford’s employ a while longer.
Council last week voted 4-1 to decline to accept Burns? Feb. 13 letter of resignation as clerk, treasurer and assistant village manager.
‘I’m still gonna show up for work everyday until you tell me otherwise,? she told council.
Village President George Del Vigna cast the lone dissenting vote.
‘We shouldn’t take it upon ourselves to say yes or no,? he said. ‘Somebody writes a letter (stating they’re) resigning ? who are we to say they can’t do that.?
‘As far as I know this is still the U.S. of A and everybody has a right to work for somebody or not work for somebody,? Del Vigna added.
But the rest of council felt it better to decline the resignation considering the real issues which prompted Burns? resignation are in the process of being worked out.
‘As it came out, her family was not the reason,? said Councilwoman Teri Stiles. ‘We have further knowledge as to what prompted this letter.?
Council held a special three-hour meeting March 6 to discuss and clarify issues relating to Burns? job descriptions and the chain of command in the village office. It was also hoped this meeting would persuade Burns to stay.
‘As a council, we chose to pursue some issues that needed to be addressed,? Stiles said.
A lack of clarity as to who Burns and her deputies report to ? council or Manager Joe Young ? appeared to be one of the main problems. Council made it clear that Burns reports to it, not Young.
‘We’re re-evaluating how the office runs,? noted Councilman Dave Bailey.
‘We’ve gotten to, I hope, some of the bottom of the reason Chris was prompted to write this letter,? Stiles said.
But Del Vigna didn’t see the process as addressing issues or working things out, he saw it as blackmail.
‘I don’t like being told I will stay if you do this, this and this,? he said. ‘To me, it’s a way of holding us ransom for something.?
Burns let council members know she appreciates their efforts to try to work things out, not just for her, but for the community and whoever holds her position in the future.
‘Whether I stay or whether I go, I think it was time well spent because those issues are going to exist whether it’s me sitting in this chair or somebody else,? she said. If these issues don’t get resolved now, they will arise and ‘rear their ugly heads again.?
Burns and Young have met three times and ‘pretty much have the details hammered out for the most part.?
Although they’ve made ‘some serious progress,? Burns noted there are still a couple of other things that haven’t been addressed.
‘We’re moving towards resolving some of the issues, (but) obviously we haven’t resolved them,? she said. ‘I’d like to give it a chance to work itself out.?
Because her letter of resignation was left open-ended, meaning she did not supply a final date of employment, council asked if she was prepared to give one at this time.
‘I’m not ready to put a date on it,? she said.
Councilman Tom Benner stated he was in favor of declining to accept the resignation because since it contained no date, it’s not really “pertinent one way or another” whether council accepts it right now.
Although Burns is trying to work out the problems in the village office and possibly stay, she’s also one of two finalists for the city manager’s job in Cedar Springs, Michigan.
She’s still waiting to hear a decision from the Cedar Springs City Council.
Until something happens one way or another, Burns assured council, ‘I’m going to come to work every single day, do the best job I know how and do what I feel’s best for the residents and taxpayers of Oxford.?