NORTH ATTLEBORO -- Thomas Stoltz has resigned his seat on the planning board, and his chiding fellow members for failing to work together.

`` The direction that the board has taken in the past few months has drained the enthusiasm that I had when I became a member,'' Stoltz said in his resignation letter. `` We didn't always agree on every item that came before us, but we worked together as a board. That sense of working together doesn't seem to exist anymore.''

In a sternly worded letter to board Chairman Raymond Payson, Stoltz detailed his reasons for resigning the seat, which he was elected to in April 2005. Although Stoltz's letter is dated June 14, it wasn't forwarded to the town clerk's office for more than a month.

Payson did not return a call for comment Tuesday.

`` When I was elected to the planning board, I was enthusiastic because I was told that some of the goals of the board were to make the planning board office more efficient and to work on changing the zoning bylaws and subdivision control laws,'' Stoltz said. `` My first year on the board was quite enjoyable because we were working toward those goals.'' `` Lately, being a member of this board is like having a second full-time job and spitting into the wind.''

In his resignation letter, Stoltz said the board has become frustrating because of an increasingly heavy workload and inconsistent messages sent to developers of varying projects.

`` Since I have been on the board, several contractors and developers have asked the board for advice and direction on projects,'' he said. `` The answer they were always given was the planning board was not in the business of designing subdivisions.

`` Therefore, I have a difficult time understanding how this board could vote to instruct the developers of Christina Estates as to which roads to use for their development based on a sketch.''

He also said a member of the board voted on the project after being told by town counsel that he should not.

When elected officials resign from office, the town advertises for candidates to fill the seat until the next election.

A replacement will be appointed to fill the seat by a joint vote of the planning board and board of selectmen.

The person appointed would then have to run in April to continue filling the seat for the remainder of Stoltz's term, which expires in April 2008.

rdrtrdrsrdrw15rsp160 AMY DEMELIA can be reached at 508-236-0334 or by e-mail at ademelia(at)(at)thesunchronicle.com.