WINDHAM – The Windham Town Council has tapped David Nadeau as its new chairman.

Nadeau, 65, a retired engineer and resident of 89 Johnson Road, was elected to his second consecutive three-year term on the council earlier this month. On Tuesday, with Nadeau absent, the council voted 5-0 to appoint him as chairman. Councilor Matt Noel abstained from the vote.

“I don’t know if Dave wants it or can do it,” Noel said.

But Tommy Gleason, the outgoing chair, assured Noel that Nadeau is interested in holding the position.

“If he was elected, Dave told me he’d like to have it,” Gleason said. “Congratulations, Dave.”

Nadeau could not be reached for comment.

In a 5-0 vote, the council also appointed Councilor Donna Chapman as vice chairwoman. Noel, who didn’t return phone calls before deadline seeking further comment, abstained from that vote, as well. Chapman replaces Dennis Welch in the position.

The council also voted to revert to a three-person finance committee, the model that was used from late 2009 until earlier this year. In January, following months of spirited debate, councilors voted to form a seven-person, or “council as a whole,” finance committee, overriding concerns repeatedly expressed by Noel about the effectiveness of the model.

In January, in response to the vote to form a “council as a whole,” Noel said he would not serve on a seven-person finance committee because of the time commitment involved. On Tuesday, Noel said that the “council as a whole” model had not worked well – due to poor attendance and scheduling problems.

“I think participating in it as little as I did, unfortunately, last year, I didn’t see a full council here,” Noel said. “I thought it was difficult for the full council to arrange all of their schedules for the number of meetings that were held. I wouldn’t advocate for that again. I would advocate for a smaller, more focused group or a council of three for the finance committee.”

This year, the rest of the council was more receptive to Noel’s concerns. After a motion to form a seven-person finance committee failed in a 3-3 vote, the council voted 6-0 to have Councilors Nadeau, Welch, and Roy Moore serve on the three-person finance committee.

“I don’t have a problem with either way,” Chapman said.

In a 5-0 vote, the council appointed Welch, Chapman and Bob Muir to the Appointments Committee. Noel abstained from the vote. Chapman and Muir both already served on the Appointments Committee, while Welch will replace Moore.

Town Manager Tony Plante and Nadeau were unanimously appointed as council representatives to the Greater Portland Council of Governments executive committee, while Gleason and Moore were unanimously appointed as representatives to the board of directors of the Windham Economic Development Corp.

The council voted 6-0 to appoint Nadeau as council representative to the Land Use Ordinance Committee. Gleason was unanimously appointed council representative to the Public Easement Advisory Committee, as well.

Muir was re-appointed as parliamentarian in a 5-0 vote. Noel abstained from the vote.

The Windham Town Council appointed David Nadeau, who was re-elected earlier this month, as chairman Tuesday. From left are Matt Noel, Bob Muir, Tommy Gleason, Donna Chapman, Dennis Welch and Roy Moore. Nadeau was absent.