GORHAM – The former vice chairman of the Gorham Economic Development Corp. board is trying to find out why he wasn’t reappointed by the Town Council.

“I’ve never been fired in my life,” said James Means, “and now I’ve been fired from a volunteer job.”

The council action last week came after Means, 62, spoke out last month in a Gorham School Committee meeting that the school department was purchasing thousands of dollars in cleaning supplies from an out-of-state vendor while Clean-O-Rama, a Gorham firm, had been shut out from competing.

“On the surface, it appears I got booted over Clean-O-Rama,” Means said Tuesday.

Town Councilor Matthew Robinson, a member of the Gorham council’s Appointment/Personnel Committee, said Tuesday the committee had a number of qualified applicants this year for the economic development corporation and the council has had recent workshops concerning its duties.

Robinson said the committee selected applicants it felt would go in the direction the council wants.

“We felt very strongly we made the right decision,” Robinson said.

There were “no hidden things,” Robinson said. “Jim has been a great member for the development corporation.”

The Town Council voting 6-0 (Robinson absent) on April 10 rubber-stamped a slate of nominees presented by the council’s Appointment/Personnel Committee. Filling four seats on the economic development corporation, the council reappointed to three-year terms Robert Petitt and Marc Badeau, while adding Katherine Garrard, who formerly served on the School Committee, to a three-year term and Brian Rancourt to a one-year term.

With the appointments, there are now nine members on the board. But, Means said this week, the board could include up to 13 members.

Means didn’t receive notification from the council about its decision.

“I only learned of my not being reappointed this morning from Tom Ellsworth (director of Gorham Economic Development Corp.),” Means wrote to Town Councilor Suzanne Phillips in an email made available by the town. “This is not the way to run a town or live a reasonable life, in my opinion.”

Means wasn’t the only one taken aback by the council’s action.

“It was a surprise to me,” said Richard Carter, chairman of the economic development corporation. “He was very loyal,”

Carter said Means has a great business background. “He managed a lot of properties for Unum for years,” Carter said.

In his email to Phillips, Means said he has “developed or purchased, then leased, managed and sold some 350 commercial real estate investments valued between $2 and $25 million in 35 states over my career.”

Town Councilor Matt Mattingly lauded Means this week.

“Jim has served the town of Gorham and the EDC for many years. His contributions are numerous and I personally have appreciated his passion,” Mattingly said.

“Jim has been a stalwart advocate for not only the town and its residents, but all of the businesses as well. I will personally miss his direct candor on the board,” Mattingly said.

Robinson said, “If Jim is upset, I feel bad. I hope he’ll continue to be an ambassador” for the town.

Means said he’d continue as a taxpayer to fight on behalf of Clean-O-Rama in its efforts to bid on school cleaning supplies. Means’ efforts already have resulted in a meeting scheduled for next month between Clean-O-Rama and school department officials.

Means has been outspoken in the past, too. Last June, he drew applause in a public hearing when he opposed a town referendum for a $3 million project that included an athletic stadium.

While praised this week, Means is trying to figure out why he was booted.

In a letter April 12 to Brenda Caldwell, council chairwoman, Means asked to review criteria that the council’s Appointment Committee utilized in making its recommendation.

Then, April 13, Means asked for copies of all town correspondence that mentions his name in the past year.

He requested specific attention to communications “from, to and/or between council members Robinson, John Pressey and Suzanne Phillips – the three councilors serving on the Appointments Committee – as well as councilors Matt Mattingly, Phil Gagnon and Caldwell.

“I was shocked about not being re-appointed,” Means said in an email sent April 12 to several people, including some members of the economic development board. “The level of corruption, cronyism and political power in Gorham has been made blatantly obvious.”

Pressey, who chairs the appointments committee, did not respond to a request for comments by American Journal deadline.

“I was shocked about not being re-appointed” to the Gorham Economic Development Corp., says James Means.