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Michigan Treasurer Andy Dillon looks on during a meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund Board of Directors on July 24

(Brandon Howell | MLive File Photo)

LANSING, MI -- Former Michigan Treasurer Andy Dillon, who resigned in October after a messy divorce, has continued to draw his full state salary as a senior advisor to his successor.

Dillon made $174,204 a year as treasurer, a pay rate he has maintained while assisting newly-appointed Treasurer Kevin Clinton, who earns the same salary.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, in accepting Dillon's resignation late last year, said he was pleased that Dillon "will remain available to assist the new treasurer with the transition," but the administration did not indicate he would remain on the payroll.

"This is a transition role and temporary," Snyder spokesperson Sara Wurfel said Wednesday. "It was deemed appropriate and instrumental due to complexity and urgency of local government fiscal health issues in Detroit and other parts of the state."

Treasury spokesman Terry Stanton said Dillon has assisted Clinton "with transition issues and has been working on local government fiscal issues." He is expected to conclude his advisory work in the next four to six weeks, at which time his pay will end.

As treasurer, Dillon oversaw an agency responsible for collecting, investing and disbursing all state monies. He played a key role in in state interventions for financially struggling cities and municipalities, including those run by emergency managers.

Dillon announced his resignation on October 11, citing a contentious divorce that played out in the press, but he stayed on as treasurer through the end of that month.

Update: Michigan Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing), in a release citing Dillon's "golden parachute" is calling for an independent review into Department of Treasury hiring practices, also noting previous reports that investment officials received major raises this year and are now amongst the highest-paid employees in state government. Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Lon Johnson has also called on Dillon and Snyder to "repay taxpayers." See their full statements in the comments section below.

Jonathan Oosting is a Capitol reporter for MLive Media Group. Email him, find him on Google+ or follow him on Twitter.