By the end of the Templeton Community Services District special meeting, a few people seemed to wonder what they were doing there in the first place.

“I have a personal opinion that this is a witch hunt,” said Director Greg O’Sullivan, who was the target of the special meeting organized to discuss his conduct.

The issue was brought forward by two district employees who complained to CSD officials that they felt verbally berated by O’Sullivan during a July 10 regular board meeting.

“The issue at hand is not the opinion expressed by Director O’Sullivan, but the manner in which it was expressed,” Sports Coordinator Melissa Johnson and Conservation Coordinator Andrea Parisi wrote to the district’s general manager, board president, and board vice president.

CSD directors sat for about 45 minutes at the July 24 special hearing, fielding comments from the public, which ranged from displeasure with O’Sullivan’s tone to accusations that three board members—John Gannon, Judith Dietch, and Robert Bergman—were trying to unnecessarily stifle a director they don’t like. In fact, Gannon asked the district’s attorney, Steve Kronick, about the process to censure a director, but he didn’t pursue the issue further.

Director Kevin Hunt asked Kronick whether the board could even take action on the item.

 “Is this just supposed to embarrass Greg right now?” Hunt asked.

Ultimately, the board took no action.

“I think we should just drop it and move on,” Bergman said at the close of the special meeting.

“The power has spoken,” O’Sullivan muttered.