Controversy Follows Clinton Township Clerk's Last Days in Office

With just over 48 hours left in his term, Clinton Township Clerk George Fitzgerald continues to be the subject of controversy regarding his actions on election night and his reported absence from office since.

Supervisor Robert Cannon told Patch that to his knowledge, Fitzgerald has only returned to the office once since Election Day to collect his personal possessions.

When asked to comment on his absence, Fitzgerald responded to Patch with the following email:  

“I was in the office after the election, but now I am on vacation. I go deer hunting every year and most all employees of the township are aware of this – especially the workers in the Clerk's office. The election is over so I would think the stories about me would be too.”

As an elected official, Fitzgerald is not required to submit a time sheet or formally request vacation time. However, as clerk, he is expected to fulfill certain administrative duties, chief among which is overseeing township elections – a task Cannon says Fitzgerald failed to complete.

“He left at about 1 a.m. and at about 2:15 a.m., the Macomb County Sheriff knocked on the doors (where they were tallying votes),” Cannon said. “(Officers) were sent by the county Elections Department to get our totals. Luckily, there were two employees, one IT person and another from Township Public Works, who knew how to do it.”

Fitzgerald has not commented to Patch or other news media regarding this report.

Unseated by Republican Kim Meltzer Nov. 6, Fitzgerald's term ends at noon Tuesday.

While Fitzgerald will no longer be collecting the $81,000-a-year clerk’s salary, Cannon said the township will still be paying to defend him in lawsuits filed by employees of the clerk’s office during his term.

Fitzgerald has been cited in both a federal whistle-blower lawsuit filed this past year by senior staff secretary Sue Brooks and a second lawsuit filed by election worker Claudia Hutto, both of which went on sick leave to avoid the alleged stress of their work environment.

“The insurance company at this time will be defending Mr. Fitzgerald in his capacity as clerk,” Cannon said. “Will they do that after all these disclosures come out? I’m not sure. There have been no real disclosures or depositions at this time.”

Cannon added his hope that these issues can be resolved as quickly as possible and that those employees who left the clerk’s office under Fitzgerald know they are welcome to return under the new clerk.

“Mr. Fitzgerald had an unusual opinion of what the power of his job entitled him to do,” he said. “I’m happy that time period is gone. I’m relieved for the employees. I’m relieved for the residents and for the general fund. He has cost us a lot of extra money. As far as I’m concerned, it’s time for this township and board and staff to move on.”

Throughout his term Fitzgerald has maintained that the allegations against him are false and “politically motivated.”

As members of the newly elected board do not take office until Nov. 20 at noon, members of the previous board, including Fitzgerald, are expected to attend the township's Nov. 19 meeting.