Genoa town clerk Kate Beckley resigned from her position Monday, saying Wednesday that she didn't believe she had the support of the town board, whom she felt was more apt to work with the town's previous clerk.

“It's the board's job to honor the wishes of the townspeople and welcome their officials and work with them instead of against them,” Beckley said. “The core of the problem was that I was never allowed to be the clerk.”

Beckley, who has lived in Genoa for nine years, was elected to the position last November. In September 2005, Beckley defeated the former town clerk, Karen Shields, by six votes, winning 40 votes total in the Republican primary race.

While Beckley said she handled the day-to-day duties of the clerk, she said the previous clerk stayed involved in clerk business. The town board and its appointees, Beckley said, would often keep Shields apprised of the issues being discussed, forwarding her documents and phone calls.

“It's as though she never left,” Beckley said.

Shields declined to comment.

Beckley said the final straw came during a meeting on Monday. According to Beckley, the town supervisor, Stuart Underwood, assured her that he would ask the board on Monday to stop involving the former clerk in clerk business and told her he would address the problems she encountered over the past eight months.

But on Monday, Beckley said Underwood backed away from taking those actions, which prompted her decision to resign. Underwood could not be reached for comment.

“The job was great and the people were great,” she said. “It's kind of like trying to break into a Good Old Boy network down South.”

Town board members Cheryl Shields, Dale Sellen and Kenneth Manzari could not be reached for comment. Board member Lorie Fessenden deferred questions to Underwood.