Columbus Grove mayor resigns his post from jail

8/30/2007

COLUMBUS GROVE, Ohio The council president of Columbus Grove, Mark Kohls, will serve as interim mayor until a new one takes office Jan. 1 after the previous mayor submitted his resignation from jail.

From his cell at the Putnam County jail, Mayor Michael Bogart submitted his resignation Tuesday night, a day after council voted 6-0 to ask for his resignation following his third arrest.

Fiscal Officer Janet Hermiller said the village police chief went to the jail in Ottawa and picked up Mr. Bogart s notice, which simply stated he was resigning as mayor immediately.

The position of mayor is on the November ballot.

Mr. Bogart, who is running as a write-in candidate for mayor, was sentenced to six months in jail after he was arrested earlier this month for driving under suspension and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. He had been convicted of drunken driving earlier this year, then arrested in July for violating his probation.