By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

PITTSBURG, Kan. — A member of the Pittsburg Board of Education has resigned after questions were raised about whether he was still a resident of the school district.

Claron “Mark” Cole, a Pittsburg attorney, announced his resignation in a letter to the board on Aug. 27.

Cole has been the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Crawford County Clerk’s office to establish whether he resides in Pittsburg — and was therefore qualified to serve on the school board — since he sold his home earlier this summer.

Crawford County Clerk Don Pyle said Cole’s address raised questions at the county level, and that his office tried “at least a half-dozen times” to reach Cole for an explanation — something he said was never provided.

“A phone call from him could have answered a lot of questions,” he said. “We’ve never been able to reach him and he’s never returned our calls.”

Globe attempts to reach Cole at his office in Pittsburg were unsuccessful. A Pittsburg home phone listing for Cole has been disconnected. He was elected to the school board in the spring of 2007. His term was set to expire in 2011.

According to the county register of deeds office, Cole sold his home at 2404 S. Stillwell St. in Pittsburg on May 28. City records show Cole had the home’s water utility service shut off in his name on May 27. Officials with the register of deeds office said Cole does not own any other property in the county.

Also on May 27, Cole filed a renewal of his Kansas law license with the Kansas Supreme Court, which lists his home address as 3900 E. 10th St., in Trenton, Mo.

Trenton is located some 220 miles northeast of Pittsburg in Grundy County, Mo. The Grundy County Clerk’s office said Cole had not filled out a voter registration card as of Aug. 29.

In the meantime, Cole continued to carry out his duties as a duly elected school board member. The position does not receive a salary or other benefits, according to school district officials.

Board minutes show Cole continued to attend board meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month, except for July 28.

On July 14, Cole filed a voter registration card with the Crawford County Clerk’s office, which listed his home address as 112 E. Fourth St., in Pittsburg, which is the address of his law firm.

Pyle said the address, which is a commercial property without residential facilities, such as a kitchen or apartment, raised red flags at the clerk’s office.