LEYDEN — Citing a perceived lack of support from town officials amid conflict with a resident, all seven Council on Aging members voted on Tuesday to resign, effective Jan. 27.

“We do not feel that we are supported, and the harassing and the bullying has continued,” said Council on Aging Chair Michele Higgins. “We don’t think it’s going to end. We can’t take it anymore.”

Although the Selectboard has received the resignation letters, it was noted during Tuesday’s meeting that the resignations will be discussed during the board’s next meeting on Monday at 9 a.m., allowing members time to read the letters and create an agenda item to discuss them. Higgins said she plans to attend.

The Council on Aging had previously sent a letter to the Selectboard outlining a resident’s “continued harassment and bullying” that has been going on for “well over a year.” Members of the council feel this resident had “conducted efforts ... to undermine what we do either by insinuating that we mishandle our money or saying that we do not care about the people we serve to even belittling what we do.”

The council continued its letter by saying the resident has written “nasty” emails, including writing “disparaging remarks about the COA” in an email to a Franklin Regional Council of Governments public health nurse, and has spoken out against council members at Selectboard meetings.

The Council on Aging concluded by providing two options to the Selectboard: for the board to support the council by speaking with the resident about her behavior, or for the full council to resign. Although an investigation has yet to be completed, council members said at their Tuesday meeting that they felt an investigation wouldn’t make a difference and they wanted to resign before getting a response from the Selectboard.

In a response letter the Selectboard wrote to Higgins, dated Dec. 19, members William Glabach, Katherine DiMatteo and Glenn Caffery asked that the council “provide us with facts to support your claims.” The Selectboard wrote that the Council on Aging’s letter “lacks evidence that would be necessary for us to make any decision. Instead, your letter describes your interpretations and conclusions.” Specifically, the board asked the council to cite which regulations in Leyden’s code of civil conduct, adopted Sept. 13, 2021, the resident violated, “as opposed to protected democratic participation.”

The Selectboard advised the council that once the evidence is received, “we will share it with the subject of your complaint so they can defend themselves against your claims. We would discuss this matter in executive session to protect their privacy rights, scheduling this meeting with the advanced notice required by law.” The Selectboard invited Higgins or someone in her place from the Council on Aging to attend the executive session, which at this time has not been scheduled.

The Selectboard requested the evidence be provided by Jan. 3, 2023. Higgins said the council provided the board with emails as evidence on Dec. 29, 2022.

Referencing the town’s code of civil conduct, Higgins said council members felt the main regulations that were violated included “use common courtesy when interacting with others,” “show respect for building facilities, others and their property,” “do not cause disturbances or disruptions,” “do not engage in any ... offensive behaviors” and “do not engage in any form of violence or threatened violence.”

When asked about the Council on Aging’s planned resignations in a phone interview, DiMatteo said the Selectboard “would accept their resignations with regret.” Caffery said by phone that the board wants to “try and address things with the party involved” and “does not want to harm the person in case they are not involved in the wrongdoing.”

“If (their resignations are) related to their letter and our response,” DiMatteo said, “it’s with deep regret to lose the people that are on the COA, and it’s a shame they are not in the position of trust and confidence that they would be able to work this out between them and another individual.”

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Leyden Selectboard letter by Shelby Ashline on Scribd