Three members on the seven-member Dublin Planning Board have resigned.

Board Chair Don Primrose resigned during Thursday’s meeting, and Kirsten Colantino sent a resignation letter to board secretary Matthew Saveliev later Thursday evening, which was shared with the Ledger Transcript. On Monday, Donna Garner said she had resigned from the Planning Board, as well. 

The resignations came in the wake of the board censuring Garner in September over claims that she came onto Thomas and Maureen Hulslander’s property on Snow Hill Road, introduced herself as a Planning Board member and caused work to be halted. Garner claimed she was acting solely as an abutter when she went to the Hulslanders’ property, that the Planning Board did not grant her due process because she did not receive notice the discussion would be happening, she was not informed of the complaint and she did not have time to respond. On Oct. 17, the board voted to hold the censure in abeyance.

At the Nov. 7 meeting, Garner said that she would address the board Thursday regarding her interactions with contractors at the Hulslander property. However, she was not in attendance, and Planning Board member Archie McIntyre said, “I think that the board has created a hostile environment that has impacted Donna’s ability to attend meetings.”

Primrose and Colantino both said at the meeting that they had conversations with Garner during the previous week. Primrose said that he sent a text message to Garner on the afternoon of the meeting to inquire about her attendance. McIntyre said that these overtures had not helped the situation and made a motion to remove the censure “without discussion,” which Select Board Chair Chris Raymond, who sits on the Planning Board, seconded.

Primrose responded that a lengthy discussion with Garner earlier in the week seemed to have resolved the issue.

“I had a 2 1/2-hour conversation (with Garner),” he said. “She was going to resign from the board and the censure would be removed.”

“Sounds like extortion,” said Raymond, responding to Primrose. 

McIntyre restated his motion, adding “without further deliberation or discussion.” Raymond seconded it, and the motion passed with a 4-3 vote. 

“I am herewith tendering my resignation,” Primrose said following the vote. “I’m pleased with our work over the years.”

Primrose then handed a letter to Vice Chair Francis McKenna and stepped away from the board to take a seat elsewhere in the room. In a copy of the resignation letter provided to the Ledger-Transcript, Primrose wrote, “I cannot lead nor be a part of a Planning Board that in any way condones the actions of a Planning Board member, who has represented herself as ‘from the Planning Board’ to intimidate her neighbor. The removal of a Planning Board-imposed censure on Donna Garner would only promote this history of behavior to continue.”
After Primrose announced his resignation, Raymond asked McKenna what was next. The meeting ended in under an hour. 

Colantino suggested moving forward from the tensions that this issue has caused.

“We need to come together here as friends, as neighbors and as a community,” she said.

Contacted Friday morning, Colantino confirmed that she had also resigned. In a message sent to the Ledger Transcript, Colantino stated, “The accusation of extortion made by Chris against Don is a glaring example of the persistent disrespect, unprofessionalism and inappropriate behavior Chris has directed toward Don over the past year.  Don has conducted himself with integrity and professionalism throughout this time, and it is clear that these accusations are baseless and appear to be a pattern of personal attacks. This targeted behavior by Chris has created a toxic and hostile environment, undermining the board’s inability to function effectively. It is one of the primary reasons I’ve decided to resign, as I can no longer be part of a setting where such behavior is tolerated.”

On Monday, Garner said, “All I know is that I resigned. The good thing is that the Planning Board can move forward in a fair and measured way.” She would not comment on whether she had a conversation with Primrose.

Maureen Hulslander attended Thursday evening’s meeting with printed emails from the contractors regarding the work stoppage at their property. The way in which the meeting transpired did not afford her the opportunity to share these emails with the board. 

Commenting on the departure of Primrose, Maureen Hulslander — who attended Thursday’s meeting with printed emails from the contractors regarding the incident on her property, but did not have a chance to speak about them – said that he stood on principle. 

“He didn’t think we should be bullied,” she said. 

On Monday, Raymond explained the board’s next steps.

“It’ll be up to the remaining members to appoint a chair,” he said. “Next meeting we’ll restructure and move ahead.”