Royal Oak

Legal fight possible after city accepts commissioner's initial resignation

By Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer

Miller rescinds resignation before taking seat at meeting,

only to be asked to step down

ROYAL OAK — Nearly two weeks after abruptly resigning his post as a city commissioner, and later rescinding the resignation, Stephen Miller took his seat at the commission table for the June 15 regular meeting.

But his time in the chair on this night was short-lived, as a the body opened the meeting by accepting his letter of resignation based on Mayor Jim Ellison’s acknowledgment of it on June 4.

Miller resigned his seat on the commission June 3 in an e-mail to City Attorney Dave Gillam, the night after it was alleged that members of the City Commission were under investigation by the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. He told the that he was “absolutely running this fall.”

Resident Bill Shaw lashed out at the commission during the meeting, saying they only focus on personal agendas and not the people’s business.

“We have some real problems here,” Shaw said, talking about the budget. “We got to get back to what this body is about. It’s about the people. And I think you forgot that.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1110.