Clinton Township's seven-member board of trustees will vote this evening on whether to fire the $108,000-a-year development director and remove a longtime housing commission member.
Supervisor Robert Cannon recommends the changes to fellow members of the elected board, Mitch Hotts writes at The Macomb Daily.
The administration is seeking to dump ... former Housing Commission president Gerald Burnosky. Separately, board members will be asked to terminate Brandon Jonas, the township’s first economic development director.
"I never wanted either case to come this far, but we have to do what's in the best interest for the township," the suburban paper quotes Cannon as saying.
Jonas, a 2011 Central Michigan University graduate, was hired last August after over seven years as development director in neighboring Roseville.
"He's a nice young man," Cannon is quoted as saying of the 32-year-old, "but he needs more grooming. He was offered the opportunity to resign, but he is fighting that."
(Photo: Instagram/Clinton Township)
The other target, Burnosky, created a "caustic atmosphere" with Kara Ostrowski, executive director of a public housing complex, according to a background briefing for the 6:30 p.m. Monday meeting.
Cannon said Burnosky received a three-month suspension from the commission and [was] ordered to undergo co. nflict management training through Care of Southeaster Michigan.
"It has recently been confirmed that Mr. Burnosky failed to live within the confines of his
suspension instructions," Cannon said in a letter to the township board. "Some of things he's been doing ... seem a little bizarre. He has had conflicts with the last three or four housing directors we’ve had. He has made a lot of accusations." ...The remaining four members of Housing Commission requested Cannon take action to get rid of Burnosky. In a letter to the supervisor's office, they said they voted unanimously to ask for his removal.
Hotts shares a response from the 25-year commission member, who says in part:
"I will resign under protest if they are going to force me to quit doing my investigations [into construction and maintenance bids]. They don't have a clue what's going on."
With over 100,000 residents, Clinton is the state's most populous township.
