NORTH ATTLEBORO - The conservation commission has lost a third member with the resignation this week of Vice Chairman Dennis Connor.

Connor said his resignation was mainly due to health concerns. However, he added there are issues within the department, which he declined to specify, that contributed to his decision.

"There are some issues internally that had a small percentage to do with it, but it's mainly for my own health that I'm resigning," he said. "I'm not opposed to coming back to the board later, but I think it's wise for me to step away for a while."

Connor's decision to leave comes on the heels of last week's resignation of Chairman Mark Roberts. Roberts resigned after 14 years on the board, citing increased family and work responsibilities.

In July, William Wheatley resigned from the board, saying that job and family commitments no longer left him time to serve. Those resignations came several months after longtime conservation Chairwoman Marie Clarner stepped down.

Clarner left the board in April, but she had notified selectmen almost a year earlier of her intentions. She had served on the board for 22 years.

She left the board after clashing with selectmen about a mediation hearing relating to a proposed subdivision in the Scott's Brook area. Clarner said selectmen treated the board unfairly by allowing residents from Scott's Brook to make critical comments about conservation commission members at televised selectmen's meetings.

After Clarner left, Cynthia Balme was appointed to the board.

However, selectmen, who are the appointing authority for the commission, have had little luck filling one of the other vacancies.

In a 3-2 vote earlier this month, selectmen appointed developer Fred Bottomley to a seat, but Bottomley, the sole applicant, resigned a week later after learning from the state Ethics Commission that he cannot serve because he has several outstanding permits that are under review by town boards.

Selectmen Chairman John Rhyno said he was sad to hear of Connor's resignation.

"It's a great loss for the conservation board and the four individuals we have now are going to be overworked, that's for sure,"he said. "We're going to do what we can to fill those vacancies quickly."

Rhyno said he is not aware of any issues in the conservation department.

"I'm perplexed as to why we've had all these resignations and why they happened at the same time," he said. "I'm sure the remaining members of the conservation commission will be in touch with the board of selectmen to rectify any problems - if they exist. We'll do what we can to help them."