After nearly four years of working with the Village of Cassopolis, LaGrow Consulting gave its 30-day notice Monday night.

Village officials learned about Cindy LaGrow’s decision prior to its regular council meeting.

LaGrow Consulting has been acting as the part-time village manager for Cassopolis since November of 2012.

LaGrow was originally hired to replace Meg Cluckey, who resigned as village manager in August of 2012.

She was originally given a to-do list to accomplish in the before her contract as interim village manager expired five months later.

The council decided to extend the agreement several times.

Emilie Sarratore, of LaGrow Consulting, had been working as the village manager since LaGrow had been focusing her attention on other projects.

LaGrow cited personal reasons and the fact that Sarratore would be taking on another project as reasons for ending their relationship with the village.

“It has been a pleasure working with the village,” LaGrow said. “But I have some personal family issues and I am going to be traveling and doing some other work assignments. Emilie is going to be taking on a project with a very large law firm and I don’t want to commit to anything unless I can give it 110 percent.”

LaGrow said that she is pleased with what she and the village council has accomplished together in the three-plus years they have been working together.

“One of the biggest accomplishments has been increasing the village’s fund balance,” she said. “The first audit presentation was if we continue down this rocky slope you are going to be in some sort of emergency manager position in the next 12 months.

“The village council at the time took that very seriously and we started trying to work more efficiently, cutting expenditures and we started doing things a little differently. Now I think you are up almost 50 percent in your fund balance. I know you will have an audit presentation something this fall and I will be very interested in how we end up after a full four years with the village.”

Since LaGrow Consulting took over the manager’s position, the village has had more than $30 million invested in the community in four years.

“We have done some really great things and I think the village is ripe for further development,” LaGrow said. “I would like to be a part of that in some way, shape or form on a project basis to help out the new manager or to help the council if you think that is appropriate.”

The village council voted unanimously to accept LaGrow’s letter of resignation, but did so with heavy hearts according to Village President Dianna McGrew.

“We appreciate your services and you always provided us with a staff that was very knowledgeable and worked well with others in the community,” McGrew said.

The council also approved beginning the search for a new part-time village manager immediately with a unanimous vote.

“We need to act fast because we have so many things going on,” McGrew said.

LaGrow said that she will not leave the village in the “lurch” and will help out in any way she can in getting a new manager hired and up to speed.