CASSADAGA — Following the sudden resignation of MaryJo Bauer from her position as mayor of the village, a number of citizens turned up to the village board meeting Wednesday to learn more about what transpired.

Deputy Mayor Bill Astry led the meeting, beginning his comments by reading Bauer’s official letter of resignation, before it was subsequently accepted by the board. The letter was submitted May 3, two days following the last board meeting on May 1.

The full letter reads as follows: “Village Board and residents – it is with great sadness I am resigning from my position as Mayor of the Village of Cassadaga, effective immediately. I would like to thank the village residents for their trust and belief in me. To the village board members and village employees, it was a pleasure to work side by side with such a dedicated group of people. I wish you all the best in the future, knowing this is a trying time for the village. Sincerely, MaryJo.”

Miriam Washington, an owner of property in Cassadaga, inquired about Bauer’s situation during public comment. She asked the board the following: “When did each board member know she was ineligible to be mayor, and why was nothing acted upon earlier?”

Village Attorney Joe Calimeri responded to Washington’s questions. “There’s nothing that’s ever been found that she was ineligible, she resigned,” he stated.

“There was a question of ineligibility and she resigned, so I think it would be premature to say she was in fact ineligible because that determination was never made.”

The allegations that Bauer did not reside in the village remain unconfirmed and unfounded. “I never explored, nor was the issue ever brought to the board to explore whether or not in fact she was a resident or not,” Calimeri explained. “Once the issue was brought up, I think at the last meeting a citizen brought it up, the issue was going to be explored, but before we even got to the point of doing that she tended her resignation.”

Calimeri went on to say, “Everyone can speculate and come to their own conclusions, but as a board, we never really even had to explore that option. (The letter was) received two days after the meeting at which the issue was raised, I don’t think there was any type of investigation or exploratory committee because it all happened, like that.”

The sudden nature of Bauer’s departure was only further confounded by the plethora of issues regarding Red House, which some on social media are beginning to deem “out of hand.”

In regards to some of the other issues surrounding Bauer’s departure, Astry also noted, “And the appointments that were made were voted on by the board, so that’s not even an issue.”

In other news, Len Ensalaco was officially appointed as the village code enforcement officer.

The next meeting of the Cassadaga Village Board will be Wednesday, June 5 at 7 p.m.