Inglis Commissioner “Squeezed” out after rescinding resignation

Inglis commissioner Bill Monteverde found himself out of a job this week following a vote of 3-1 not to accept his taking back (rescinding) a previous verbal resignation on July 7th. Monteverde said he resigned over a dispute with an agenda item to move $75 thousand back into the town’s water fund.
Monteverde said the money should have been returned to the water department if the town received grant money to repair the Mastadon St. bridge. He said the town received the repair money, but voted against returning the money to the water. dept. The Mastodon St. bridge has been closed and in need of repairs for more than seven years. Commissioners Webb, Morin, and Brennan voted against returning the money, while Monteverde and Commissioner Schwing voted to return it.
Monteverde said in a follow up email July 8 he rescinded his resignation which has precedent in the Inglis town commission history. Other commissioners that verbally resigned in “the heat of Battle” were Andy White, Sally Price and mayor Carolyn Risher. All of them rescinded in writing and were returned to office. In Monteverde’s case his written reversal was not accepted at a July 20th meeting, (held online). He said he had plenty of support from towns people and they were angry with the outcome.
An earlier meeting schedule to discuss the vacancy on July 13th was cancelled. Monteverde said he felt the commission’s action was “payback” for his scrutiny of the commission’s action on many fronts.
In an email to Monteverde, Ann Morin asked him to run for mayor in next March’s election because she thought mayor Drinda Merritt would not run for re-election. Monteverde said he plans on doing so.

See additional background story in a letter Monteverde wrote to his constituents.