PARIS — Selectmen voted 3-1 Monday against a motion that would have been the first step to ending Town Manager Phil Tarr’s contract in December.

The board could vote again at the June 25 meeting, after new selectmen are sworn in.

Co-chairwoman Jean Smart was the dissenting vote Monday, and the result seemed to surprise her. She said that in a previous executive session, every board member agreed on ending Tarr’s contract in December 2012. It requires six months’ notice, meaning the board must tell him their intentions before the end of June.

“Everyone at that meeting agreed to that,” Smart said.

Chairman Robert Kirchherr pointed out that no votes or agreements can take place in executive session.

“It was clear,” Smart said. “We had good reason.”

She recalled that she and Kirchherr were charged with telling Tarr the board’s decision.

He was told after returning from leave after his wife died.

Smart made the motion to the board Monday night.

“I move that we not extend the option we have” to extend his contract,” she said.

Selectman Ted Kurtz said the board has until June 30 to vote on whether they’ll renew Tarr’s contract in December. He said state law requires the board produce a written statement to support its decision.

“For this reason, tonight I will vote that we not give Phil notice of our intent not to renew his contract,” Kurtz said, “with the hope our new board will make a decision before June 30 in a more responsible way than the present board.”

Before the vote, an executive session was planned to discuss the issue and Tarr asked that it be held in public.

“If you have something to say, let’s say it and be transparent,” he said.

Kurtz read a statement on his decision. He said he felt Tarr had “failed” in many of his duties.

“Since March 2010, Phil’s performance has been below my expectations,” Kurtz said. “Most importantly for me, he has not been candid, open and trustworthy in his management of the town’s affairs.”

However, Kurtz said the Board of Selectmen was also partially to blame for the strained relationship between Tarr and the board.

“The obvious dysfunctionality of town government in Paris over at least the past decade cannot be laid at the feet of our town managers,” Kurtz said.

After the vote, Smart asked Tarr to explain why he didn’t fulfill the goals from his last evaluation.

“As far as I know, they’re all done,” Tarr said, listing the road plan and sidewalk plan.

Kirchherr cut off the discussion, telling Smart, “You’re going into an evaluation process.”

At the end of the meeting, Kirchherr thanked Smart, who isn’t running for re-election, for her three years. She received strong applause from residents at the meeting.

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