Dublin Planning Board member Donna Garner was censured last month for falsely invoking town authority in an attempt to stop work on a neighbor’s property.

Garner was the subject of a complaint by residents whose work on Snow Hill Road was halted without official cause. Maureen and Thomas Hulslander claimed that Garner’s actions involved a misrepresentation of her capacity at their property and resulted in expenses incurred while contractors remained idle on their job site.

By a 5-1 vote, the board censured Garner for her actions at the Hulslanders’ property. The censure only puts the matter in the official record, and Garner remains on the Planning Board.

“The Planning Board imposes a censure on Donna G for her actions on August 19th, 2024 while entering the property of Maureen and Thomas Huislander, causing the stoppage and delay of the work,” the motion stated. 

The motion also states that Garner was not acting in any official capacity for the town. Board member Archie McIntyre cast the lone vote against the motion.

According to a letter the Hulslanders sent to the board, on Aug. 19, Garner entered their property to express her opposition to the driveway project, which had earlier been approved by the Planning Board. The Hulslanders stated that her actions caused a work stoppage at the site, but they  continued to incur the hourly costs of the contractors.

“Donna Garner came onto our property despite it being clearly posted no trespassing and approached the gentleman, who was running a 30-ton excavator. We were told she could have easily been killed, as she approached from behind and on the blind side of the operator’s station,” the letter stated.

“She introduced herself as a member of the planning board and she stopped work for 2.5 hours as she called the road agent and they waited for him to arrive,” according to the letter.

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Planning Board chair Don Primrose was also called to the site.

“By the time I got there, the road agent was there and things were exactly as they should have been,” said Primrose, referring to the work the Hulslanders were attempting to complete in keeping with the permit.

Primrose said that Garner had voted to approve the permit. She is an abutter to the Hulslanders’ property.

“She should have recused herself from the vote on the permit,” Primrose said. “But she didn’t. But she did vote for it.”

Regarding her efforts to halt the permitted work, the Hulslanders stated in their letter that Garner identified herself during the episode, and they asked whether Garner was on their property in any official capacity.

“If no, what are the repercussions for a board member who would identify herself as such for the purpose of throwing her political weight around?” the letter stated.

The cost of contractors on their property who were idle during this episode cost the Hulslanders $625, their letter stated. They have requested that the town reimburse them for this expense.

“What is the board’s position on being accountable for the money we paid for no work happening?” the letter stated.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” said Primrose.

“It feels like we’re being harassed,” Thomas Hulslander said Monday. “I think she just wants to cost me money. I want to be a good citizen, and a good neighbor. The whole thing is ludicrous.”

An official from the town has visited the site on Snow Hill Road since the August episode.

“The road agent thinks it looks great,” Thomas Hulslander said, referring to trench and grassy area that have been created where the driveway meets the road. “It’s going to take water off the road.” 

“I was bewildered,” Primrose said Saturday. “What she did was wrong.”

Garner could not be reached for comment by email.

“She might not be done messing with us,”Hulslander said. “I hope I’m wrong.”