Jamie Kramer, Leelanau County’s District 1 commissioner, amended her June 29 resignation letter Tuesday afternoon to make her resignation effective immediately. With Kramer’s position now vacant, the remaining commissioners resolved to leave her seat empty for the remainder of her term at a special session held on the same day.
The county Board of Commissioners voted 4-2 to not appoint a new District 1 commissioner to replace Kramer. According to Michigan Compiled Laws, the board could have chosen a resident or registered voter within 30 days of accepting a resignation.
However, based on an opinion from county attorney Matt Nordfjord, the board chose to not make this appointment. Instead, the board will proceed with just six members for the rest of the year. They will wait until one of the three candidates now running for the position starts their new four-year term in 2025, “let(ting) the voters decide,” as board Vice Chairman Doug Rexroat put it.
