Jamie Kramer resigned as Leelanau County’s District No. 1 commissioner on July 9.
In her June 29 resignation letter, Kramer said that among other reasons, she decided to resign over “feelings of being prohibited from decision-making and board choices due to my gender, particularly from our board chair,” Ty Wessell.
At the county board’s next public meeting after Kramer formally announced her resignation, the July executive board meeting, the other commissioners commented on Kramer’s sexual discrimination allegations. Most of the board spoke up in defense of Wessell’s character, except for Commissioner Melinda Lautner.
“I’ve served as District 5 Leelanau County commissioner 18 months, during which time I’ve been treated with respect, encouraged to express my views, welcomed as a valued member, and never felt any gender bias from Chairman Ty Wessell,” Commissioner Kama Ross said.
“Respect for the position, fellow board members, staff, and the public was a clear expectation of the chair for himself and the board members,” Ross continued. “I wish Commissioner Kramer well, but Ty Wessell was not the reason for her decision to resign.”
Ross mentioned to the newspaper that Kramer recently moved to Benzie County. According to Michigan Compiled Laws, a county commissioner must be a resident or a registered voter of their district to hold his or her office. Kramer did not mention that she was moving in her resignation letter or during a July 1 interview with the newspaper.
“I would heartily echo (Ross’ comments). I’ve served with you for over three-and-a-half years, Mr. Wessell. I have never once felt discriminated against, nor have I observed that,” Allgaier said. “I am sorry those words were in our newspaper without any balancing information.”
Allgaier was incorrect, however, about the Leelanau Enterprise not providing “any balancing information” in its coverage. In fact, the newspaper waited to break the story about the District No. 1 commissioner’s resignation to give Wessell enough time to respond to Kramer’s allegations before publication.
Kramer’s district included Elmwood Township and a portion of the City of Traverse City. District No. 2 Commissioner Jim O’Rourke also includes a portion of Elmwood Township. O’Rourke commented that he didn’t see Wessell acting toward Kramer, nor could he imagine “(him) telling her what to do,” based on their personalities.
Commissioner Doug Rexroat was silent on the accusations, simply echoing the board’s resolution thanking Kramer for “her time and commitment to Leelanau County” during commissioner comment at the July 9 special session, where the board also accepted her resignation.
The only commissioner who supported Kramer’s allegations of sexual discrimination was Lautner.
Lautner is the longest-serving county commissioner as well as a frequent dissenting voice on the board. During Kramer’s time on the county board, Lautner was often the sole “no” vote in 6-1 board decisions.
“I am stunned to think that none of you have seen it (i.e., sexual discrimination on the county board),” Lautner told her fellow commissioners at the July 9 meeting. “I had watched Jamie be passed over for committee assignments because it was assumed she was too busy. She was not asked. I have not seen consideration for Jamie to be at some of our board meetings.”
“We have all witnessed, if we have not seen it, a lot of closeddoor meetings among men on this board (and) decisions brought to us by men on this board. Yet, women on the board were not included,” Lautner continued.
Shortly after the meeting, Lautner approached the reporter and stated that she thinks one of these decisions made behind closed doors was drafting a separation agreement with previous county Administrator Deb Allen, which was approved at a Feb. 8 meeting with Lautner voting “yes.” Allen left the county in April. Richard Lewis has been serving as interim administrator.
Kramer did not mention “be(ing) passed over” for committee appointments in her resignation letter or when talking to the newspaper. Wessell claims that Kramer asked him to provide her “relief” because she was serving on too many committees, and Allgaier replaced Kramer as the board’s representative on the Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency back in January.
After the story on Kramer’s resignation went to print, Wessell commented to the newspaper: “I don’t see myself as having gender bias, but we always need to do some selfexamination. I think we’d be better off on the commission if we had more gender, age, and racial diversity. … I’ve heard from four commissioners who assure me they don’t see me as discriminatory.”
Lautner said that she was not one of the commissioners who assured Chairman Wessell, accusing him of calling Allgaier and Ross but not herself.
“(Kramer) was passed over, she was neglected, she was unappreciated, and she was not respected. Was that why she left? No. But I do feel like she was forced out,” Lautner said. “She could have moved back into this county, however that could have worked out, but that was not for us to decide.”
“Jamie’s going to be missed,” Wessell said at the executive session Tuesday. “She did some good work while she was here. But I think we have commitment to respect, and we all need to follow it. And I urge us to do that. And if I fail to do that, I invite you to call me up or tell Richard (Lewis), or tell anybody else, to confront me. Because I have a responsibility to enforce our board rules, and one of those rules is (that) I will respect people.”
