NEW GLOUCESTER — The New Gloucester Board of Selectmen met in executive session on Wednesday with New Gloucester Water District Trustees and their attorneys to discuss legal rights and duties in light of two petitions before the town.

The petitions seek to repeal voter approvals of an ordinance and interlocal agreement passed in February at a special town meeting that paved the way to develop the Upper Gloucester public water system.

The water system will cost $2.37 million, using $1.37 million from a Community Development Block Grant and U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Maine Department of Environmental protection funds.

Taxpayers will pay the remaining $1 million through low-interest loans with repayment terms of up to 40 years.

The first petition asks to repeal the ordinance entitled, “Town of New Gloucester Upper Village Water Service Ordinance.” The second aims to terminate the “Interlocal Agreement between the Town and the New Gloucester Water District” by placing two articles before voters at a special town meeting.

Before the board and trustees went into closed session, a joint board including both groups named board Chairman Steve Libby to the post of chairman and Water District Chairman Steve Johnson as vice chairman of the joint board.

Selectmen appointed attorney Pat Scully of the Portland-based firm of Bernstein Shur to represent the town. Attorney James Katsiaficas of Perkins, Thompson of Portland was named to represent the water district.

Field said on Thursday that no action was taken when the group came out of executive session.

He said an item addressing the petitions will be placed on the agenda for a selectmen meeting May 6.