POLAND — It was standing room only at the Town Office for Wednesday’s selectmen’s meeting, with most expressing their displeasure with the recent firing of Town Manager Rosemary Kulow.

“I’m disgusted with the board over the dismissal of the town manager,” resident David Corcoran said, “giving as a reason ‘she was a bad fit’ is not enough.”

Corcoran said the atmosphere in the town office is “absolutely toxic,” and made a request that one of the three selectmen who opted to oust Kulow step forward and call for a new vote on the firing.

“The board did not follow the Charter in how it handled the matter. Not even close,” Corcoran said.

Arthur Berry, who announced he was a member of a recall committee, held up a sign calling for the recall of Wendy Sanborn, Larry Moreau and James Fernald.

“Make a show of good faith that you will hire Rosemary Kulow back or I will be carrying these signs around town gathering signatures,” Berry said.

Stan Tetenman said the vote to terminate Kulow was 3-2 and concluded there apparently was no egregious reason for the firing. 

Steve Robinson and Lester Stevens voted against the motion following an executive session at the conclusion of the Oct. 16 meeting.

“The town has lost two very capable town managers in two years and micromanaging has played a big part,” Tetenman said.

Sandy McAuley, who called the town manager’s removal “backroom politicking at its worst,” said Kulow brought a wealth of experience, and finding a fitting replacement will be difficult.

Resident Michelle Arsenault made a number of allegations concerning inappropriate behavior at the Town Office and accused at least one current employee of being rude on a number of occasions.

“How many complaints are you going to get without doing something?” Arsenault asked.

Sanborn, responding to Sandy Knowles’ advice that selectmen ought to be taking complaints more seriously, offered that none of what was being said was “falling on deaf ears.”

When Sanborn appeared dismissive in her response that much of what Arsenault said was unsubstantiated and involved personnel matters, Sue Goss Therriault, a 30-year employee at the Town Office, listed a number of written complaints going back a number of years.

“Rosie (Kulow) was a shining light at the end of a long tunnel,” Therriault said.

In response to Corcoran’s request that the board revisit the vote to terminate Kulow’s contract, Sanborn, as chairman of the board, asked for a motion to reconsider.

Neither Moreau nor Fernald responded.

Berry, receiving confirmation that there would be no reconsideration, said he would pursue a recall.

“You can plan on a recall and it is going to be messy,” Berry said.

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