Embattled Town Highway Superintendent Submits Resignation

 

The Town of Franklin’s embattled highway superintendent has submitted his resignation, though a technicality has prevented the town from moving to replace him.

Town Highway Superintendent James Rascoe has been off the job since February when he took a leave of absence for medical reasons. His leave of absence coincided with the revelation that he is being investigated by the Franklin County District Attorney’s Office for official misconduct.

DA Derek Champagne had been given a letter alleging that Rascoe had made “inappropriate financial expenditures” and “misappropriations.”

The highway superintendent has maintained he has done nothing wrong and has been made a target.

“It’s a handful of the usual people,” he told WNBZ in March.  “They don’t have anything better to do than to cause trouble and make false accusations.”

Rascoe’s letter of resignation – dated July 14 – is not official because it was addressed to the town supervisor, not the town clerk as required by law.

Supervisor Mary Ellen Keith said once that is remedied, the town would move to accept Rascoe’s resignation.        

“Hopefully we can move on with what we need to do when this resignation is legally effective,” she said.

Since Rascoe’s leave of absence, deputy highway superintendent James Perry has run the town highway department.

-Jacob Resneck, 7-16-08

 

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