RUMFORD – Charter Commission member Rob Cameron likened Tuesday’s Board of Appeals hearing on whether to uphold a selectmen’s decision to dismiss all commission members to the Spanish Inquisition.

“I didn’t think there was going to be a trial,” he told selectmen at Thursday night’s regular board meeting. “It’s not pleasant. If that’s the way it’s gong to be run, then all people need a representative.”

Selectman Brad Adley wants to know why two lawyers were hired by the town during the appeals process.

“There were two, too many lawyers in the room. How did that happen?” he asked.

He also wants to know how much the town must pay for at least five hours of work for the Board of Appeals lawyer, and at least four hours for the town’s lawyer.

Town Manager Jim Doar didn’t have the exact figures Thursday night, but said it will be a lot.

The cost per hour for the Board of Appeals attorney, Linda McGill, is $260, and for the town’s lawyer, Tom Carey, $175, Doar said Wednesday.

Adley and selectmen’s Chairman Greg Buccina also disagree with how the town lawyer was hired.

Doar said Wednesday that Selectmen Mark Belanger, Arthur Boivin and Frank DiConzo had written a letter asking for an attorney to represent the town at the appeals hearing. Neither Adley nor Buccina were included in that request.

“We could have had a discussion about it,” Buccina said Thursday night.

Adley asked if that was proper protocol.

“I’m very uneasy with the whole situation. I wasn’t part of the dialogue to bring in an attorney. I’m looking for answers,” he said.

Board of Appeals Chairman Joseph Roberts, who stepped down from his position during Tuesday’s hearing because he is also a Charter Commission member, said that board did not consider hiring a lawyer until members learned that the town had hired one.

Kevin Saisi, the Board of Appeals vice chairman who served as chairman at Tuesday’s hearing, said he had initiated a request for the board to have an attorney, but Roberts said at the time that he did not believe one was needed. When Roberts learned that the town was hiring an attorney, he then agreed that the board should be represented, too.

Boivin, Belanger and DiConzo said they wanted a lawyer to represent the town when they read in the newspaper that Roberts had planned to chair the Board of Appeals hearing.

“I felt there was a conflict,” DiConzo said.

Belanger said he believed a lawyer to represent the town was necessary to make sure things were done clearly.

Buccina was clearly frustrated.

“Why did you need a representative? Why did you spend money? You had to get an attorney? They got an attorney to fire nine volunteers? It makes no sense,” he said.

Adley wants it made public when Doar figures the costs of the two lawyers.

“What kind of money was thrown away? We’re trying to be fiscally responsible, and to throw money on lawyers around like that?” he asked.

Resident Vince Caruso said listening to the discussion was making his blood pressure rise.

“We don’t have money to plow the streets, but we spend money on two lawyers. We can’t even get our own people to agree,” he said, referring to the division among the five selectmen.

The Board of Appeals overturned an earlier selectmen’s decision. The Charter Commission is back in business.