Commissioner Resigns, Cites Personal, Job Conflicts

Royal Oak City Commissioner Peggy Goodwin has resigned, citing personal and job conflicts, The Daily Tribune reports.

She was elected to the Royal Oak City Commission in 2011.

“Serving as a commissioner is essentially a volunteer role,” Goodwin wrote in a letter delivered to city officials Wednesday, “and I have devoted on average 25 hours per month to that role for the past three years. … My work is also very busy and demanding, and my family comes first.”

Goodwin, a public relations professional, said one of the deciding factors in her decision to step down was the amount of time she wants to devote to caring for her mother as she leaves a nursing rehabilitation center. Continuing as a commissioner is not in her best interests at this time, Goodwin said.

She also criticized recent Royal Oak City Commission decisions that allowed more liquor establishments to operate in the city. There are 63 “on premise” and 41 “off premise” liquor licenses in the city, and she thinks that is “well beyond where we should be.”

“It’s no secret that I object to developments including approval of large footprint liquor licenses adding to our density and high number of alcohol serving establishments,” she wrote.