LYMAN — A call for civility was made Tuesday as the town faces two petitions from residents who have become upset over the board of selectmen’s decision to pursue legal action against Selectman Steven Marble.

Tax collector Susan Bellerose made a plea to residents at the Tuesday selectmen’s meeting, saying, “I truly fear, at this point, that some residents have incited such anger that someone who might be unstable will come blasting into town office with angry words or worse yet, a gun”¦

“Things have been very rocky lately, to say the least,” said Bellerose, who said she is not a resident of the town. “I think I can speak for all of us who work here when I say we shouldn’t have to come to work each day afraid of what turmoil will confront us.”

Earlier this summer, Selectmen Norman Hutchins and Leo Ruel voted to pursue a lawsuit against Marble, who was elected in June. Marble is a town employee, overseeing operations at the transfer station, and the other two say that his job and his role as selectman are incompatible.

Acknowledging the atmosphere in town that has ensued, Ruel said Wednesday, “We’re in a messy situation and we’d like to calm it down.”

Ruel said the lawsuit is being pursued because he and Hutchins believe that while a town employee can be on the board, the manager of a town department, who submits a budget, cannot serve. Marble does oversee transfer station staff and submit the department budget, but has said he is the “operator” rather than the manager.

Several residents have expressed their opposition to the lawsuit, most notably at a packed board meeting July 19. Supporters of Marble have set up a legal defense fund for him at PeoplesChoice Credit Union in Sanford.

A citizen’s petition has been submitted to town hall to rescind the approval of Article 15 at the June Town Meeting, which provides $18,000 to cover legal fees for the town, said Ruel. The petition has not yet been accepted by selectmen in public session.

Ruel said Wednesday he is not sure how the town would handle it if the funds are rescinded. All legal services used so far must be paid, he said, and he would like to see the town continue to pursue the legal process, to get an answer on the conflict of interest issue.

In the meantime, a recall petition is circulating for Selectman Hutchins and a few signs have been posted in town that call for him to resign.

“We don’t want you no more ”“ resign,” states one of the small orange signs at the intersection of South Waterboro Road and Route 35.

No one seems to know who posted the signs, but they’ve upset Hutchins’ wife, Darnelle, who attended the Tuesday meeting in support of her husband.

“He deserves better from the town and the people he has served for 22 years,” she said at the meeting, visibly upset.

Hutchins did not address the public.

Marble said Wednesday that he is not involved in the recall effort, but saw several people collecting signatures for it recently at the transfer station.

“I stayed right the heck out of it,” he said.

Roland Nadeau, who wrote up the recall petition, said people in town have varied reasons for pursuing the recall. For him, it’s only about the lawsuit against Marble, an effort that he feels Hutchins led. He’s hoping to replace Hutchins with another selectman who would vote against pursuing the lawsuit, which, with the help of Marble’s vote, would end the effort.

“I want to try and stop this ridiculous lawsuit they’ve got going,” said Nadeau. “I believe it’s a waste of money. Two hundred and sixty-seven of us voted to put Steve Marble in ”¦ They’re really taking my vote away.”

If a recall petition is found to have enough valid signatures, a vote must be called within 45-60 days. Hutchins’ term ends in June 2012. If he is recalled, emergency measures would have to be taken to fill his seat on the board, as Marble must abstain from voting on personnel matters, which would leave only Ruel to vote.

Resident Ed Sanborn, who was involved in the failed 2007 recall effort to remove all three selectmen at the time  ”“ Roger Bergeron, Charles Harrison and Hutchins ”“ has been helping to circulate the recall petition. He said he was disturbed by Bellerose’s letter, which referenced lies and degradation of town officials from petition circulators.

“I’ve been up there (at the transfer station) with a few folks doing the petition, but I haven’t heard a bit of that,” said Sanborn. “Folks have their own reasons (for supporting the recall effort). Some of them go way back.

“I was absolutely stunned because that’s not how we operate,” said Sanborn.

About five residents, including Nadeau, Sanborn, Roger Grant and Albert Bishop, have been circulating the petition, said Nadeau. He said Thursday he believes enough signatures have been gathered and he expects that they will most likely be turned in next week to town hall for verification.

— Kristen Schulze Muszynski can be contacted at 282-1535 Ext. 322 or kristenm@journaltribune.com.