While the discussion of how and when civic groups may use town properties continues in Sebago, it will do so without Selectman Abe Parker, who attended his last selectmen’s meeting Tuesday.

Parker, 66, said Wednesday that he resigned Aug. 5 because of a personality conflict with Town Manager Robert Nicholson.

“It wasn’t worth it,” Parker said. “It was making me sick.”

Parker served over a year as selectman. A lifelong resident, Parker previously served as the town’s public works director for 12 years.

Parker announced his resignation during the Aug. 5 selectmen’s meeting, making it effective Aug. 31.

At the Aug. 5 meeting, the board had discussed the use of the town gravel pit for storage of Lion’s Club trailers. The discussion started when Parker, a charter member of the club, asked for a key to the public works yard for the group to access it after hours, according to Nicholson.

The board returned to the topic of use of town property by civic groups Tuesday, while Lion’s Club members added their own comments.

“It really is a question of do we need a policy regulating the use of town properties by non-town entities,” said Allen Crabtree, chairman of the board.

Nicholson read from a memo he had prepared on the issue, saying it wasn’t just a Lion’s Club issue, but a question of who would have access when to town-owned property.

The town manager recommended that the selectmen develop a policy for use to insure accountability and release the town from liability. Specifically, Nicholson recommended a rental contract for groups, though they wouldn’t necessarily have to pay anything.

Nicholson said he hoped the town would continue to allow and promote use of these properties. “Providing this assistance will show community support,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson also brought up the possibility of using a fingerprint recognition pad at town properties to allow certain people in and track when individuals come and go.

“As much as you want to enhance all this, you’ve got to do it the right way,” Nicholson said.

“What the heck’s going on?” Parker asked, pointing out that it wasn’t costing the town anything for the Lion’s Club to store trailers on the property.

“We more than pay for that with our contribution to the town,” added Lion’s Club member Diana Letellier, concerned that the town would make the group pay a rental fee. Nicholson said the fee could be waived in lieu of their contribution to the town.

Selectman Maureen Harriman answered Parker’s question by saying it could be a liability issue. Nicholson said it was important to know who was coming and going on town properties after hours.

The Board of Selectmen decided to direct Nicholson to work with the Lion’s Club to allow the group access in the short term and come up with a use agreement. The board planned to talk about the issue further to develop a broader policy.

Parker walked out of the meeting soon after, during a discussion of the Folly Road bridge project, which the town just completed minus the guardrails.

Also on Tuesday the Public Safety Building Committee presented their findings to the selectmen.

According to a report from the group, committee members found, that the proposed cost of building an all-inclusive public safety building was too high but that there were immediate fire protection needs in the town.

Fire Station Two was in poor condition, according to the committee’s report, and 24-hour coverage by live-in students would enhance service to the town. For this to happen, the town would need to provide sleeping quarters.

The committee presented three potential solutions: to renovate Fire Station Two and include an addition to the back for living quarters, to build a replacement for the station big enough for two trucks and living quarters or to install a portable building behind station two for living quarters and make minimal repairs to the existing facility.

As the committee’s term had expired, Crabtree presented several options to the board for what to do next, including taking on the issue as a board and reinstating a committee.

“I think the input of the individuals out of the board is important,” said Selectman Jeff Harriman. Maureen Harriman agreed, saying the committee had historical value and putting the question on the agenda for the selectmen would be overwhelming.

The original committee was made up of two at-large members as well as representatives from the fire and rescue departments, selectmen and budget committee.

Selectmen decided to talk about the question of public safety buildings again after they finished their goal setting activities in early September.