Opinion ID: 2050258
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: attempt to eliminate senior member

Text: Next the plaintiff is charged with divisive tactics to eliminate from membership a senior commission member. It is specified that the plaintiff, after a majority of the members of the commission voted not to accept the resignation of a senior commissioner, nevertheless submitted the senior member's letter of resignation to the first selectman, and requested an appointment with the first selectman for the express purpose of persuading him to accept the resignation. Accepting the charge as factually correct, there is nothing about the conduct specified which would warrant the plaintiff's removal from office. As a member of the commission, and especially as its chairman, the plaintiff had a right if not a duty to express her views with regard to the proposed resignation. Other members had an equal right and duty to express contrary views. Ultimately the decision to accept or reject the proffered resignation was to be made by the board. The board may have felt that in view of the position of a majority of the members of the commission the resignation should not be accepted, but it was not obliged to agree. A free society should encourage the fullest and freest expression of views by public officials without subjecting them to the risk of removal if those views happen to displease higher authority.