Shiawassee County Attorney resigns from position
By ANNA MUCKENFUSS
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Shiawassee County, MI (WNEM) — Ryan Painter, the Shiawassee County Attorney has resigned from his position, citing a death in the family. Painter has represented the board since fall of 2020.
His resignation comes after elected officials returned the thousands of dollars they received in hazard pay they voted to give themselves after a closed session. Payouts from the session totaled more than those given to frontline workers.
County Commissioner Marlene Webster, who initially brought the issue to light, would not speculate whether the painter’s resignation is tied to the controversy.
The controversy led Jeremy Root to resign as board chairman, although he remains a board member.
“I believe that we can find more experienced representation, a person that does not have connections to commissioners and other people who work for the county,” Webster said.
Webster said Painter’s contract was for $102,000 a year, $8,500 a month for a retainer fee. So far in 2021, Webster said they have paid Painter $84,303.84, more than the $102k for the year.
“I can’t speak for him, I don’t know the answer to that question, but there has been speculation and I think partly because of his close ties with Chairman Root and with our County Coordinator Dr. Boggs before his being hired by the county that I think there’s just an assumption that he would have been involved in this and I don’t know whether he was or not. I don’t know that,” Webster said.
The county is still represented by Painter’s firm.
Webster said the mission is to “get this ship righted” and ensure they are being transparent with the public.
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