Imagine being in his shoes! Maybe blind to the condition for whatever reason, if not past his skill. And his wife being in with the cool kids to boot.
There was an enabling co-dependency between him and the Elders. They grumbled about him, but lacked the spine to require specific changes. He lived 20+ miles away from the church building, as well. Out of sight, out of mind.
The various churches I’ve known where the pastors had an appropriate level of involvement were ones where they lived within a few minutes’ travel. Several had pastors in walking distance.