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Taylor council receives ethics-board admonition for former councilman Herman Ramach
Summary
The City of Taylor council voted 5–1 to receive and file a Board of Ethics resolution that publicly admonishes former councilman Herman Ramach for sharing 907 pages of documents the board found contained confidential and attorney-client material. Ramach acknowledged removing records and defended his motives at the meeting.
The Taylor City Council on Monday received and filed a Board of Ethics resolution publicly admonishing former councilman Herman Ramach for disclosing confidential material. The council voted 5–1 to receive the board’s report and forward the matter to the mayor, city clerk, local media and appropriate state authorities.
The ethics resolution, read aloud to the council, says the board found that Ramach had shared 907 pages of documents that contained city confidential information, attorney–client privileged communications and personally identifiable information. “Publicly admonishes mister Herman Ramach for a violation of City of Taylor ethics ordinance,” the resolution states. The resolution cites state statute MCL 15.342 and local ethics-code provisions referenced in the document.
Ramach addressed the council during public comment and acknowledged removing records. “I did do it. I did do it for a reason,” he said, telling the board he handed the materials to the city attorney and that some records were stored with a recipient he described as having FBI involvement. He also said some materials were held for what he called an investigation and that he believed he had acted to protect the city.
Council discussion focused on the ethics process and public timing. A number of councilmembers described the board’s work as procedurally appropriate; other members said the timing was politically awkward given the municipal election season. City staff and legal counsel explained the board’s review steps, including closed-hearing procedures when requested and how final determinations become part of the public record.
The board’s resolution directs transmission of its report to the mayor, city council, city clerk, local media, the Michigan attorney general and the Michigan State Board of Ethics for additional review. The council’s receiving and filing of the resolution does not itself impose further penalties; it registers the board’s public admonition and forwards the report for any outside review.
The council did not take any additional enforcement action during the meeting. The resolution and the board’s findings will remain available on the Board of Ethics web page and have been forwarded as described in the resolution.
