They make the rules but never think they apply to themselves

That seems to be the policy of most politicians. Bill Frist and Charles Schumer on the national level. Now here in Palm Beach County we have our own case.

An influential Republican real estate investor has been at the helm of Palm Beach County's zoning commission even though he moved out of the county about two years ago.

County rules require that members of the zoning commission be county residents and registered voters in Palm Beach County. But property records show Kevin J. Foley lives in a two-story, 2,567-square-foot home in Martin County that he bought in 2003. The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office says Foley is no longer registered to vote in the county. The last time he voted in Palm Beach County was in 2002.

After being told of the requirements by The Palm Beach Post, and checking with the county attorney's office, Foley said he would relinquish his seat on the county's advisory board.

"If I'm wrong, and it appears I was, I should get off the board," Foley said.

Foley, 58, said he looked at the rules before moving to Martin County and thought it was OK to finish his term, which expires in February. But Palm Beach County rules say that once a zoning commission member is no longer a registered voter in the county, his term should be terminated.

Foley has served on the zoning commission, an advisory board to the county commission, for at least 15 years. His most recent reappointment came at the suggestion of Commission Chairman Tony Masilotti less than a year before he moved north. Masilotti couldn't be reached for comment.

Foley said he would call Masilotti over the weekend to resign. "I'll send him a note thanking him very much for asking me to serve," Foley said. "It just never occurred to me. I was enjoying what I was doing."

I'll give Mr. Foley credit for sucking up and taking responsibility by resigning. If he hadn't I would have given him a Knucklehead award. The last comment by Mr. Foley in today's article sums it all up.

"No deed goes unpunished during... years of public service," Foley said. "That's just what it is. I've had a good run."