Clarksburg town accountant quits, town to discuss hiring temporary replacement | Northern Berkshires

CLARKSBURG — Amid tension in town government, the Clarksburg accountant resigned on Thursday morning.

Angela Garrity informed town officials via email that she would be leaving the accountant position several days later. Her resignation letter cites”administration issues,” among other reasons for her departure.

“Apparently the treasurer’s office has issues with the accountant working remotely and pointing fingers!!” Garrity’s email reads. “I cannot and will not be stressed out and did not sign up for this.. I have other towns I work for that have never ever ever given me problems like this!!!”

Garrity said she was hired in January for the part-time job and has decades of municipal work experience, including more than ten years in municipal accounting. She said she started the job remotely and wanted to continue that way, but there had been issues recently.

“I don’t really want to get into it any further,” she said with a sigh. “I’d say the cooperation wasn’t there.”

When asked about the stress and other problems her letter cited, she said it was about “communication and cooperation. That’s about all I can say.”

“I do wish them a lot of luck,” she said. “I’m sorry it ended this way.” She added, “I left for personal reasons.”

Garrity’s resignation comes amid turbulence at Town Hall.

Hill-Town Municipal Accounting Services was hired in August to help close out the books from fiscal year 2021, which ended June 30. Terry Green, of Hill-Town, said at a Select Board meeting in late August that when she visited the office, she saw “really no organization, basically no rhyme or reason where things were, mail that had not been opened since March.”

Garrity said that the accountant’s role in closing out the books comes after the treasurer and tax collector’s office. “I can’t close out anything until that department is all set.”

Amy Cariddi, town treasurer and tax collector, could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Northern Berkshire School Union officials have expressed concern about bookkeeping issues.

At the late August Select Board meeting, Ron Boucher, then Select Board chair, raised his voice at Town Administrator Rebecca Stone in a conversation about issues with the town’s bookkeeping.

Stone walked out of the meeting. She has been on extended sick leave, Select Board Chair Danielle Luchi told The Eagle last week, and neither Stone nor Luchi could be reached for comment on Monday.

Boucher later apologized at the meeting for the “outburst,” and a week later, he resigned. Now, the Select Board is down to two members.

Garrity’s departure is set to be discussed at the next Select Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Clarksburg Community Center. Also on the agenda: Hill-Town Municipal Accounting Services taking over accounting work on an interim basis.