GREENFIELD — Mayor Ginny Desorgher discussed issues facing the state’s emergency shelter system with State Auditor Diana DiZoglio on Wednesday, just hours before Wendy Goodman, the city’s appointed liaison to the Haitian immigrant community, informed City Council she was resigning from her role.

Goodman’s announcement comes six months after ServiceNet, the human services nonprofit that operates an emergency shelter for Haitian immigrants at the Days Inn, banned Goodman from the facility.

Since last summer, the hotel on Colrain Road has been the site of emergency housing for approximately 45 families who are predominantly Haitian immigrants. ServiceNet operates the family shelter under a contract with the state Executive Office of Housing & Livable Communities.

Addressing City Council at its meeting Wednesday night, Goodman said she was stepping down from her liaison role, though not by choice. Goodman, who lived in Haiti for eight years and speaks Haitian Creole, had volunteered at the shelter since it opened, providing translations, home-cooked meals, transportation and assistance obtaining driver’s licenses or English classes for Haitians. She said the nonprofit does not have any staff on site that can speak Haitian Creole.

“This is a community of people who have fought for their lives to get here, who have walked through the jungle — the most dangerous jungle in the world — to get here,” Goodman told the council. “We had two people that I knew of who spoke Creole. Both of us were told that we’re not welcome.”

In her remarks, Goodman mentioned ServiceNet Vice President of Community Programs Polly Normand, who in an April 8 email addressed to Goodman banning her from the site, accused her of “crossing the line” and “interfering” with the staff’s safety and security. The email, which the Greenfield Recorder has reviewed, did not cite specifics, and was also sent to the mayor, police chief and ServiceNet staff.

In an interview Thursday afternoon, ServiceNet Vice President of Community Relations Amy Timmins responded to the remarks made about ServiceNet at Wednesday night’s meeting.

“We had no notice that ServiceNet was going to be a topic of conversation at last night’s meeting,” Timmins said. “We have no comment on Wendy Goodman’s statements except that we will be taking legal action.”

Desorgher also addressed the council to note that she had spoken to DiZoglio earlier Wednesday and discussed the auditor’s review of emergency shelter contracts throughout the state. The Days Inn will likely be part of the statewide emergency shelter audit.

“Our office is currently auditing the emergency shelter system as part of a larger housing audit,” DiZoglio said in an interview Thursday morning. “While we are not able to audit issues within individual cities and towns, we are taking a closer look at the issues raised to us and speaking with the mayor.”

In response to Goodman’s remarks, At-Large Councilor Wahab Minhas said he has experienced similar troubles with some of the city’s shelter nonprofits. He said he speaks a bit of French and previously tried to assist Haitian immigrants staying at the Days Inn through Director of Bakery Operations and Executive Pastry Chef for UMass Dining Pamela Adams, but he has been met with similar resistance from ServiceNet. Adams received a Commonwealth Heroine Award from the state earlier this year for her role feeding and finding employment for dozens of refugees and immigrants in Greenfield.

“We’re just trying to help people become a part of our community and to get them the resources that they need,” Minhas said, “but that specific agency — it’s almost as if they think that they own the lives of those people. It makes no sense.”

Although she no longer serves as the city’s liaison to the Haitian immigrants, Desorgher said Goodman is continuing to help those in need in an unofficial capacity outside of the shelter, providing translations and assistance acquiring drivers’ licenses.

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.