Martin Township has just received the bad news that it is losing Assessor Sherry Burd.

Burd, who has been paid $180 a month for her services, lives in Plainwell, but soon will move to the Upper Peninsula to take a new job. Martin officials briefly held out hope they could work out an arrangement with Burd to do most of her work on line from a distance and occasionally drive to this area for personal appearances. However, that idea failed when two of her other clients, Comstock and Alamo townships, began seeking her successor.

Martin Township Treasurer Sue Tiemeyer said, “You can do some, but not all of this kind of work long distance. Traveling back and forth too often would just kill her.”

Supervisor Glenn Leep said the local township simply has to let her go.

“You want to have an assessor that’s not doing too much, who has too much on their plate.”

Burd will remain assessor for Martin Township until Sept. 1.