News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Now-former Alpena Township building official Kirk Malcomson, left, shakes hands with his former boss, township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe, minutes after the township board voted to terminate him.

ALPENA — The Alpena Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Thursday to fire its building official after reviewing a packet of email correspondence and seven letters of complaints from residents.

The board ordered Kirk Malcomson to turn over his office key and township-owned cell phone, along with its password.

Malcomson is running as a write-in candidate for township supervisor against his now-former boss, Republican Nathan Skibbe, and Democrat Bruce Honeycutt, a township fire captain.

Honeycutt declined to comment for this story.

Skibbe voted to fire his political opponent. Skibbe also voted with the board to reprimand Malcomson in early September for failure to complete work assignments, poor work performance, and insubordination.

There was little discussion among the trustees, who had reviewed the packet of correspondence gathered and reviewed by the board’s Personnel Committee. The packet contained email exchanges between property owners, contractors, and Skibbe, and letters of complaint. The letters called out Malcomson for unprofessional behavior and actions that delayed construction projects.

Before the board voted, Malcomson read a brief prepared statement telling the board he didn’t do anything wrong and the allegations were untrue. He also called out Skibbe’s integrity.

“I maintain respect for all individuals, even when being attacked, and a person’s own actions speak volumes about their character,” Malcomson read. “In the past 30 days, I have been called into five different meetings regarding false accusations. The public is already aware of the character of the supervisor, and I will let the community decide as to the character they want for the township supervisor and Board of Trustees.”

Skibbe said he didn’t recuse himself because state law doesn’t require him to do so, because there is no financial conflict of interest.

“The standards of conflict of interest were not met in this instance, therefore, it was my duty to vote,” Skibbe said. “I voted the same as the entire board in this matter.”

Skibbe said the search for Malcomson’s replacement will begin soon, but, until then, the township’s mutual aid agreement with the City of Alpena will help with any pending matters.

Earlier this month, the board voted to remove Malcomson from an ongoing project and utilized the agreement to have Alpena Building Official Don Gilmet oversee the project.