Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The longest-serving member of the Brighton Board of Education has resigned, with only three regular meetings to go in his current term.

Reached by WHMI this morning, Trustee Bill Trombley confirmed that he tendered his resignation today with Board Vice President Alicia Reid. Trombley told WHMI that he would have submitted his resignation to Board President Roger Myers, except that he is at odds with Myers over certain issues and therefore does not currently communicate with him.

The crux of the issue is board policy regarding vendors at extracurricular events such as football games. Trombley previously had asked the board for a legal opinion on whether vendors at the concession stands could be board members.

The Thrun law firm of Lansing, which handles legal matters for the district, said in formal opinion last March that board members are not prohibited from such endeavors as long as the member discloses the activity. However, the board policy committee later met and moved to recommend that be changed to “as long as it’s not perceived to be a conflict,” and at the last meeting voted to approve the revised policy. It also requires that the member receive board approval before opening a concession stand for profit. Board trustees Andy Storm and John Conely voted against the motion.

In spite of the board’s action, Trombley opened his concession stand at the home football game last Friday. Trombley told WHMI that his business, which he calls “Hot Diggity Donuts”, did extremely well, saying, “I had a line the whole time.”

Board President Myers told WHMI that Trombley should not have operated a concession stand since he had not gone through the administrative approval process. Nonetheless, Myers thanked Trombley for his years of service to the district, saying, quote, “Bill’s devoted lot of time and energy in the last 12 years and done a lot of great things for the district.”

Myers said that the board will have to schedule a special meeting to appoint a member to replace Trombley, since such a process is required by state law.

For his part, Trombley said he has “done a lot for the district,” including heading the bond committees for the last two bond issues — in 2012 and 2019 - which both passed.