MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - A bill that's up for discussion in the State Senate may give Township Boards across the state a new power. If passed, it would allow boards to begin steps to remove an elected official from office if they feel they are not doing their job, provided they have a two-thirds majority vote. But one Meridian Township Trustee says while on the surface, this bill may seem necessary, there are already steps in place in case scenarios outlined in it happen.

If Senate Bill 431 is passed into law, township boards could vote to bring an action in circuit court to remove an elected official from office. But Meridian Township Trustee Ronald Styka says this bill may be unnecessary.

"The Governor can remove an official for misfeasance or malfeasance or the attorney general or prosecutor can go to court to do this," Styka said. "It's just kinda adding on to what already exists."

"Misfeasance is where you perform a duty you might be legally entitled to but you do it unlawfully. Malfeasance is when you unjustifiably do something contrary to law, or harmful."

And Trustee Angela Wilson said it's not the first time this bill has been up for debate.

"It is reintroduced from last year, and it's the same language as last year," Wilson said. "So this goes to show you that we get tons of bills introduced, and they don't all become law."

Nevertheless, it is sparking conversation among residents.

"I think that it'd be appropriate to remove them if it were in the best interest of the township," said Meridian Township resident Phil Clark.

But East Lansing resident Brendan Kennedy disagreed.

"It sounds like if a township group has an agenda and they have some vendetta against someone in office, that they could just remove them out of spite of them and not necessarily have the interest of the people in mind," Kennedy said.

A concern Trustee Styka also expressed

"There could be...I'm not saying there would be, but there could be a chance to misuse that for political reasons," Styka said. "Now, fortunately, you still have to go to court, and a judge hopefully would see through that."

This bill has not yet been passed by the State Senate, and will need to be passed through the house before it goes to the Governor's desk.