NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen this week voted 3-2 to rename a portion of former Route 26.

“Sabbathday Road” was chosen as the name after several dozen residents filled the New Gloucester Meeting House to protest the name assigned by the town’s code enforcement officer, Debra Parks.

Parks had assigned the name “Old Road” after soliciting input from people who live along a section of road from the Gray-New Gloucester town line to Pond Road.

Parks said 12 people suggested the name Old Road while eight chose Sabbathday Lake Road.

But a petition with 40 signatures, handed to selectmen by resident Will Plante, objected to the name Old Road.

Dick Allen, who lives near Sabbathday Lake, said he was surprised that Old Road was selected; he said he understood that two or three names would be reviewed by residents before a final decision.

Others favored keeping the name.

“Old Road is a neat name, as good as any,” said Peter Klepsig. He said that procedurally, the code enforcement officer had followed the 911 emergency renaming ordinance correctly when assigning the name.

Even so, Selectman Stephanie Bryan was swayed by the citizen petition.

“This is a democracy,” she said. “For me, as a selectman, the citizens have petitioned us as a board. I am compelled as a selectman to respond.”

A majority of the audience wanted to preserve the Shaker name but learned that Shaker Road had already been assigned to the portion of the road that bisects Shaker Village.

A motion to change the name to Sabbathday Road was approved, with selectmen David Lunt, Stephanie Bryan and Kevin Sullivan voting in favor. Chairman Steve Libby and Lenora Conger opposed the motion.

In other business, selectmen authorized for the first time paying stipends to the town’s volunteer fire and rescue workers. The plan has been in the works for a year.

Fire Chief Gary Sacco said the plan would pay annual compensation of $650 to each of three deputy chiefs; $500 each to three captains; $400 each to six lieutenants and $250 each to 35 EMTs and firefighters.