“You know what? I’m done. Here’s my resignation,” Hurley town clerk Annie Reed said as she walked out of the December 27 meeting of the town board. Reed’s resignation had been scheduled to be effective January 1, 2024, but a heated argument over payment of the town planning consultant had put her over the edge.
“I wish to express my deepest apologies to the citizens of Hurley, who put their trust and faith in me as Hurley town clerk in the recent election. But I cannot serve as clerk under the newly elected administration,” Reed wrote in a letter read by outgoing deputy supervisor Pete Humphries at the end of the meeting.
Reed had been elected November 7 to a four-year term. The final vote certified by the county on December 6 had been 1216 votes for Reed, a supporter of narrowly defeated town supervisor Melinda McKnight, and 1145 for her opponent, former Woodstock town supervisor and Mike Boms ally Tracy Kellogg.
“In the last year, with the exception of councilmember Simpson, [Humphries] and my colleagues, I have endured bullying, intimidation, threats, and bold-faced lies posted on social media regarding my character and work ethic by the three other elected officers and their cohorts. As a result, I cannot conceive of an acceptable working relationship with the new administration, and therefore I resign from the town clerk/tax collector [position] effective January 1, 2024.”
Deputy town clerk Donna Cudney also resigned. “I have enjoyed working with town clerk Annie Reed, previously [clerk] Judy Mayhon, and the entire Melinda McKnight town-hall staff,” wrote Cudney, whose own resignation is effective January 12.
Reed recommended appointing Lynne Bailey, her other deputy clerk, as the new clerk. Once appointed, the new clerk will fill open deputy positions.
In the midst of a heated primary season, Reed said she was frightened, shaken, and on the verge of quitting after being bullied and harassed by supervisor candidate Mike Boms and town-board candidate Diana Cline over records in a June 9 incident. The two had demanded to see records not under her purview, Reed said
Boms denied acting in a harassing manner. He was looking for documents he had requested several weeks prior, he said.
At that time, Reed had just been appointed clerk to replace Judy Mayhon, who had died after a long illness.
There is considerable uncertainty among some Hurley town staff about their job futures. Boms, who has alluded to reviewing every employee’s position, has said he doesn’t plan on going on a firing spree.
The town hall and transfer-station workers have recently chosen to unionize. On December 11, the town board voted to recognize the United Public Service Employees Union (UPSEU) as the collective bargaining unit for about 20 employees.
Join the family! 
