NEW GLOUCESTER — The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 Monday night to form a recall ordinance committee, after residents asked for the resignation of three  selectmen and an administrative leave for the town manager.

For two hours, more than 30 residents spoke about the events that followed the board’s late-night executive session Nov. 4, which resulted in a 3-2 vote to cut the bookkeeper’s position to half time and hire a part-time finance director, starting Jan. 2.

The board’s action drew fire that the closed meeting with the town attorney and town manager failed to meet the legal requirements for executive sessions. Residents alleged it was about a budget concern, not a personnel issue.

“I am expressing my opinion that what you did was not legal on two counts,” resident Laura Sturgis said. “If it were for only discussing the existence of a particular job that you chose (to hold an) executive session, that is budgetary and not eligible for executive session. If the discussion involved an employee and that employee was not present, then it also fails.”

And Town Manager Sumner Field III “saying he was the employee under discussion (at the executive session) doesn’t really pass the sniff test,” she said.

“What you did was, in my opinion, illegal and unethical,” Sturgis said.

“You have stated that the town’s legal adviser OK’d this session,” she said. “That may well be, as everyone is entitled to legal advice in an attempt to prove their position. It comes to my mind that should citizens be so incensed over this action taken by you that they hire their own attorney with municipal experience, they might be able to fight this on a legal level.”

Resident Scott Doyle took issue with phone calls and emails board members receive that are not part of the public record. The emails are public record under the state’s Freedom of Access Act, he said.

“We can’t trust 100 percent of you five,” he said. “Three of you are making the decisions.”

The vote to change the bookkeeper’s hours from 40 per week to 24, eliminate all benefits and to hire a finance director for six months had Chairman Steve Libby, Linda Chase and Nat Berry voting for it, and Josh McHenry and Mark Stevens against.

When residents asked the board at its Nov. 18 meeting to rescind its vote, Libby, Chase and Berry opposed doing so; McHenry and Stevens favored it.

Bookkeeper Sandra Sacco, a 25-year town employee, resigned Nov. 25, citing a hostile work environment as the reason. Field accepted her resignation, and Monday night the board voted 5-0 to have him fill the full-time bookkeeper’s position.

Sacco, who attended Monday night’s meeting but did not speak, said previously that she was not told about the executive session regarding her position and learned about it the following day.

Some residents proposed a confidential survey of employees.

“I recommend an internal review,” Doyle said. “I recommend putting Sumner on administrative leave without pay and holding a survey of employees that is confidential. And, Libby, Chase and Berry resign. That is only fair to the citizens.”

Frank Chambers said it’s time the town had a code of conduct for officials.

Resident Kathleen Potter referred to the Nov. 18 board meeting when it was stated that no employees or individuals were discussed in the Nov. 4 executive session.

“You also stated that at the last (board) meeting that Mr. Field took the minutes,” Potter said. “If Mr. Field took the minutes, then it was improper for him to be subject of the executive session. If he did not take minutes, why did you say he did?”

Ben DeTroy said, “This sounds like sneaking politics and cowardly. The reason for the executive session is borderline legal, and it’s wrong on a lot of levels.”

Resident Mary Ann Larson said there has been no response from Libby, Chase and Berry. “There has not been any remorse or public apology,” she said.

“There are things we understand that you don’t know,” Berry said.

“It’s telling; we don’t have job descriptions for either of these positions,” Brian Chipman said. “Keep the voters informed.”

Resident Penny Hilton said, “I wish there was a way to have an investigation for employees to say the truth … There is something considerably wrong.”

After the public comments, the board tabled further discussion on a reorganization plan for the finance department.

The recall ordinance committee is to have a draft by Valentine’s Day.