Genoa councilman Eric Hise resigned effective immediately at the end of Monday night’s regular  meeting.

Hise, who was just over a year and a half into his four-year term, said in a telephone interview after the meeting that personal health issues forced his decision. He has been struggling with severe back problems for several months. As a result, Hise said he anticipates surgery and rehabilitation in the near future that will prevent him from attending meetings and maintaining a concentrated focus on village business, he said. He already retired from his bonding company job late last year but retains part ownership in a local bar.

“I’ve thought about this a lot,” Hise said. “They need someone who can be there.”

And if he cannot be fully committed to the job, he believes he wouldn’t be properly serving his constituency.

Hise was among a group of four people who ran for office in November 2009 and subsequently ousted four incumbents in the race. He based his campaign on fiscal responsibility and the public’s right to know. He’s also known for his brash style for confronting issues head on and asking hard-hitting questions.

Looking back on the face of council then and now, Hise said he departs and does not feel as though he’s shirking responsibility because the town is in good hands.

“There are some very intelligent people in Genoa,” he said “We have an administrator in place now that is very capable, and the solicitor on board now is very capable. The fundamentals are all in place to move forward from here.”

The year 2010 was a year of upheaval for the western Ottawa County village, capped with the resignation of two key officials. Village Administrator Garth Reynolds left unexpectedly as did Police Chief Randy Hill. Then earlier this year, the village solicitor, Cindy Smith, resigned.

Smith, who had been under contract with the village for more than 20 years, cited the increasing workload as a problem, according to Mayor Mark Williams during an interview in March. She said she needed to streamline her schedule for personal and volunteer reasons.

Just a few of the complex issues facing the village in the year before her departure included a harassment suit filed by Hise, as the bar owner,  against the village police department, other complaints regarding the chief’s ticketing practices, and an employee uprising over changes in the staff handbook.  Hise later dropped the suit.

Both Hill and Reynolds had left under more mysterious circumstances. Hill had been placed on administrative leave in November. Days later he resigned. Council never cited the reason for the leave.  Yet his department had been under fire for months for a variety of reasons, leading the Ottawa County sheriff to call for an internal investigation. Hise had provided some critical information to the sheriff. However, council never reported moving forward on that recommendation.

Late last year, Reynolds also unexpectedly tendered his resignation, citing no reasons either. Council later replaced him with Kevin Gladden, the village’s longtime public works director. He now performs both jobs.

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