The wife in one of Nantucket’s most influential couples is facing an ethics complaint alleging that she used her position in town government to intimidate an employee and shield her husband.
Patrick Considine, a former Nantucket public safety dispatcher, has spent months in conflict with Town Manager Elizabeth Gibson and her husband, Deputy Police Chief Charles Gibson. The couple lives in a $3.7 million Nantucket property.
The dispute began when Considine alleged that he and fellow dispatchers were improperly suspended, subjected to retaliation and unlawfully monitored after filing grievances against Nantucket Police Chief Jody Kasper and Deputy Chief Gibson.
The dispatchers argued that their contracts entitled them to take on third-party detail work, including directing traffic near construction projects. According to their claims, those assignments were repeatedly awarded to police officers instead.
During an April Select Board hearing, Considine accused Chief Kasper of orchestrating a “retaliatory, discriminatory ambush” and placing him on administrative leave because he had filed several grievances against her.
He also criticized Town Manager Gibson for failing to take action against the police chief, despite what he described as “the overwhelming amount of evidence brought forth to this very Select Board.”
Considine was formally dismissed one day after making those remarks at the meeting, following several weeks on paid suspension.
In late October, he submitted a complaint to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission, alleging that Gibson misused her authority in an effort to intimidate him and protect her husband.
Patrick Considine, a former Nantucket public safety dispatcher, accused a powerful town couple of attempting to intimidate him after he raised complaints about police leadership
Considine alleged that Town Manager Elizabeth Gibson (pictured) used her authority to protect her husband, the Nantucket Police Department’s deputy chief
Considine claims he was wrongly suspended and fired after filing grievances against Deputy Chief Charles Gibson (pictured) and Chief Jody Kasper
Considine alleged that Gibson obtained emails he had sent to other Select Board members, but not to her, and then responded to him directly.
The message raised concerns about a security camera installed in the police department’s dispatch area, where Considine worked, according to the Nantucket Current.
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The former dispatcher said the camera was installed in October 2025 and suggested that the decision was at least partly intended as retaliation for the grievances he had filed.
Considine told the Nantucket Current that Gibson’s response included “false and misleading information regarding the timeline of the installation of a surveillance camera within the Communications Department.”
“I believe her involvement raises serious ethical and conflict-of-interest concerns, particularly given her husband’s involvement in the underlying allegations that include whistleblower retaliation and other serious matters,” Considine said.
“I also believe she attempted to use her position of authority to protect her husband and intimidate me.”
In her email, Gibson responded: “The issue of the camera in the dispatch area, which has been present since the building was constructed, is currently in litigation, and the [Select] Board is not able to discuss that with you.”
Considine later addressed the response at another board meeting, saying: “Under no circumstances should our town manager email my personal email address to comment on pending litigation, especially when it contains an inaccurate timeline of events that involves her husband.”
Considine said Gibson responded to an email that was not sent to her because she wanted “to use her position of authority to protect her husband and intimidate me”
Nantucket island
Considine has asked the state ethics commission to determine whether Gibson’s email violated Massachusetts conflict-of-interest law or undermined independent oversight at the local level.
After his dismissal, Considine also filed a wrongful termination grievance with the Select Board. The board ultimately sided with the police department. His complaints to the state remain under review.
Communications Manager Florencia Rullo told Our News Outlet: “Because this is an ongoing personnel matter, the Town has no further comment at this time.”
Our News Outlet has also contacted Town Manager Gibson and her husband, the deputy police chief, for comment.
