A Tisbury planning official has recently returned to her role assisting the planning board after being placed on paid administrative leave. But on her return, planning board administrator Amy Upton is calling attention to what she called intimidation from town officials, citing a hostile work environment.
The town placed Upton on leave in late October while reviewing allegations of misconduct against her. The town has not publicly stated the reason behind its decision, though the action followed a local developer publicly releasing Upton’s text messages that had some inflammatory language and were critical of the project and town officials.
The texts were obtained in a records request and published by developer Xerxes Aghassipour, developer of the controversial 97 Spring St. project intended to house as many as nine Vineyard Wind workers in a residential district. The project has been a hot topic in Tisbury this year, and has since been accepted for review by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
Upton told The Times on Saturday that she looks forward to assisting the planning board, but that she will not be working at town offices for the rest of the year.
“Thanks to the support of the planning board, I have since been granted remote work accommodations for the remainder of the year,” she said. “As always, our unified intention is to continue serving the best interests of the town and its residents in all planning matters, despite the pushback.”
Upton also said that leave has been tough on her, and said that stress from working in the town has impacted her health.
“All of the stress of working for a town that doesn’t appear to support, respect, or value their union employees has triggered some health concerns for me,” she wrote.
The town asked Upton on Nov. 19 to return to her job the next day, according to a letter obtained by The Times. However, Upton responded the same day that she would not return until the town addressed a hostile work environment that she alleged was created against her by town officials.
In a letter to the town human resource director, Pam Bennett, that Upton shared with The Times, Upton said that she feared for her safety; she also said that she was not alone. “I do not feel safe returning to work at the [town hall] Annex where [town zoning board of appeals chair Jeff] Kristal, [town building commissioner, inspector of buildings, and zoning enforcement officer Greg] Monka, and [town administrator Jay] Grande work,” Upton wrote. “I have been asking for help contending with the hostile work environment they have sown at the Annex, and in the town generally. Employees are feeling frightened and oppressed, with good and verifiable reasons.”
Upton’s attorney, Casey Dobel, told The Times in October that her client was placed on leave in late October after the town discouraged her from filing a complaint against building inspector Greg Monka.
Monka has been the target of criticism this year for allowing Aghassipour to demolish a structure at 97 Spring St. that multiple planning board officials and residents believe should have been granted historical protections, and should have been vetted by other regulatory agencies.
“They said, ‘You’re not submitting a complaint against Monka, you’re getting written up,’” Dobel told The Times.
Upton also alleged in a comment to The Times on Saturday that the town has yet to adequately address her concerns regarding the day she was placed on leave.
“I was escorted from my office by the chief of police on Oct. 29, 2024, at 11 am, under written orders from Jay Grande, the outgoing town administrator, without warning or explanation. The experience was alarming, upsetting, and intimidating. Perhaps that was the intention,” she wrote. “I haven’t heard from [Grande] since. To date, I have not been given a reason that makes any sense.”
She alleged that multiple town officials have hindered her work: “Unfortunately I have been routinely flummoxed trying to work with the new building inspector [Monka], who does not appear to have the requisite training, experience, understanding, or willingness to learn the job he was hired to perform,” she wrote, also calling out the town zoning board of appeals. “I have read in emails and witnessed in person at ZBA hearings a negative atmosphere of mockery and derision directed at the planning board and its staff from town administration, the chair of the ZBA, and the building inspector.”
Planning board chair Connie Alexander told The Times on Monday that her volunteer position has been difficult without Upton. “It’s been extremely difficult, but with the help of [board member] Ben Robinson and many other fabulous town employees, we’ve been able to keep everything to its required timelines, and we’ve been able to maintain progress,” Alexander said. “And we feel confident that everything was done well, and we are very much looking forward to having Amy back with us.”
Grande, Monka, and Kristal were not immediately available for comment.
