Citing hostility, Haverhill town administrator to resign (2024)

Brigitte Codling speaks during the Haverhill Town Meeting on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Haverhill, N.H. Codling's position as Town Manager was eliminated by voters earlier this month. (Valley News - Jennifer Hauck) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Valley News — Jennifer Hauck

HAVERHILL — The town administrator announced this week she is parting ways with Haverhill, citing hostility from members of the community that have created a stressful and difficult work environment.

Brigitte Codling resigned as town administrator at the Haverhill Selectboard meeting on Monday. In her resignation letter, Codling attributed her decision to ongoing displays of animosity and disrespect toward her by some residents.

“I walk away not because I want to, but because I need to for my own wellbeing and the wellbeing of my family,” Codling said. “The simple fact is that the accumulated hostile acts directed at me in recent years have created an environment that is so hostile and difficult that I feel I have no choice but to resign my position.”

Codling’s final day will be June 14.

First hired as Haverhill’s town manager in 2019, Codling’s administrative authority was greatly reduced at Town Meeting in March, when residents voted by ballot, 361-323, to eliminate the position of town manager and to transfer the town manager’s duties to the five-member Haverhill Selectboard.

After the vote, Codling accepted a new position of town administrator, which lacks the power and authority granted to a town manager in state statute RSA 37:6.

As a town manager, Codling oversaw the town’s daily operations, including the hiring and supervision of department heads. A town administrator carries out directives issue d by the Selectboard.

Codling’s salary as town administrator, $108,000 a year, was the same as when she was town manager.

Much of the clash between residents and her administration arose during the town’s dispute with the Woodsville Fire District in November 2019, Codling said in her letter.

Woodsville, a village district in Haverhill, has its own municipal operations for its residents, including a highway and fire department — which are managed by the Fire District.

In 2020, Codling sought to reduce the town’s funding contribution to Woodsville’s highway upkeep, which Codling felt the town had been overpaying.

Since that time, there have been ongoing legal disputes between the town and the Woodsville Fire District over funding that are still being litigated in New Hampshire’s courts.

“As a result, there has been an onslaught of attacks against me both personally and professionally, which continue to this day,” Codling said in the letter.

Residents voiced their criticism on Facebook, letters to newspapers, as well as in remarks and glances in public, she said.

John Nelepovitz, vice chairman of the Haverhill Planning Board, said in a phone interview he was pleased to learn of Codling’s announced departure.

“She wasn’t right for the town,” Nelepovitz said. “They’re going to have to do a better job vetting (candidates) when they hire the next town administrator.”

In addition to the turmoil caused by the legal dispute, Nelepovitz said he felt that Codling did not speak to people respectfully.

But other town officials praised Codling’s service, as well as how she handled herself professionally amid verbal attacks from critics.

“I challenge anyone to show me a list of accomplishments that would compare to hers in the same given time frame,” Selectboard member Joseph Longacre said in a letter to the community. “During her tenure as town manager (and) administrator, she has endured a constant barrage of negativity against her personally, her family and her style of fair and balanced leadership she has brought to the job.”

During Codling’s tenure, the town increased employee wages by 22% and created performance-based rewards such as additional paid leave; consolidated town fire services at an annual savings of $200,000; funded six miles of road paving projects; and, in collaboration with Grafton County, acquired $2.5 million in state and federal grants to improve broadband and cellular services.

Now, Selectboard members, who were already feeling overwhelmed following the elimination of the town manager position, must add the hire of a new town administrator to their responsibilities, Longacre said in a phone interview on Tuesday.

“It’s hard to jump into that (town manager) role,” Longacre said. “Not all of the board members are experienced in municipal government. It’s more direct work for the board. We have been having two, sometimes three meetings a week … to make new (operating) procedures and get things up to speed.”

Board members have assumed liaison roles for meeting with town department heads to hear grievances or concerns, which also requires additional time, Longacre said.

“And there has to be that leadership entity to keep the process flowing. … And that has been fractured,” Longacre said.

The Selectboard will be holding a meeting on Monday to discuss the next steps, which could include the hire of an interim town administrator or the search process for a permanent successor, Longacre said.

Patrick Adrian may be reached at padrian@vnews.com or 603-727-3216.