decisions, decisions

I'm seriously considering resigning from my position with the volunteer fire department. Due to my surgery in April, I can no longer respond to fires. I could still continue with my position as secretary, but some recent complications are compelling me to withdraw completely from the enterprise. I was notified recently that I was to be nominated for the position of board member. I told the person who informed me that I wasn't interested and
since I would be absent from the meeting when the election took place (I was in Arizona at the time) to stand up for me and explain to the members that I would decline if nominated and refuse to serve if elected. I wanted to make that perfectly clear. When I returned from my trip I learned that I had been elected. The person whom I trusted to convey my message says he doesn't remember the conversation. I'm feeling a bit manipulated. These volunteer jobs have a way of becoming full time with plenty of accompanying stress. Combine that with the frustration of local politics and it becomes an unsavory stew. I think I've accomplished something for them. I set up their new computer and incidence reporting software; now anyone can take over with the aid of the instruction manual and information cd.
I'm retired and I'll be 61 next month. There are things I want to do and explore but I haven't accomplished much of what I intended. For example, I like to paint landscapes and I've only painted two pictures since I retired. I want to get back to it. It's not that I want to quit my involvement with the community (although there is a bit of the hermit's soul in me ), I'm already exploring other opportunities (more on that later).
Anyway, wish me luck. What's your opinion?