CANTON — The town will advertise for an administrative assistant to replace Harry Childs, who abruptly resigned earlier this month, Board of Selectmen Chairman Shane Gallant said Monday night.

Childs gave a verbal and hastily written resignation at the Aug. 8 board meeting after a heated exchange with resident Colby Davis about thousands of dollars he loaned the town for the Lake Anasagunticook dam project, Gallant said.

Childs, of Greene, cited citizen harassment and lack of board support in his note, Gallant said.

“He felt that the board was not supporting him when one of the town members was being disrespectful to him” at that meeting, Gallant said.

“Harry had done the calculations and paid Mr. Davis what he thought was correct, and it was not,” he said. Childs agreed they would figure it out and pay Davis what was owed. And, according to the minutes, Childs apologized to Davis.

But as the board waited for Davis to finish talking before they backed Childs, the exchange between Childs and Davis “escalated” so quickly they never got a chance. Childs scribbled out his resignation on paper, handed it to the board and left, he said.

It was effective immediately and accepted at that meeting.

Childs could not be reached for comment.

Deputy Clerk Kathy Walker was named to take over the administrative assistant’s duties until the board hires another one, Gallant said.

“We are going to be advertising,” he said Monday.

Childs had held the position for about 18 months and the board was pleased with his performance, Gallant said.

“He did a fantastic job for the town. We didn’t have any complaints,” he said.

He admitted some residents did, but that’s not unusual for a town because officials can’t please everyone.

Staff editor Mary Delamater contributed to this report.