PARIS — Selectmen appointed Ted Kurtz chairman after a contentious debate on electoral procedure during the first meeting of the new board on Monday night.

Selectwoman Jean Smart advocated for an open vote, but Kurtz said that a secret ballot vote was in line with state law.

“The Legislature doesn’t want the new board to start off with the potentially divisive matter of some voting for this person, and some voting for that person,” Kurtz said.

“I think we’re all big boys and girls here,” Smart said. “I don’t think we’ll be angry or hurt if our names aren’t mentioned.”

By a vote of 4-1, the board overruled Smart in favor of a secret ballot process.

After an initial ballot vote, Kurtz tied with incoming Selectman Robert Kirchherr for the chairman’s position by a vote of 2-2, with Smart receiving one vote.

After briefly considering a random lottery to select the chair, the board instead decided to vote by secret ballot again, with Smart taking herself out of the running. Kurtz won the second vote 3-2.

Kirchherr was subsequently elected vice chairman with four votes and one abstention.

Citizen Paula Hakala asked whether there were any restrictions on the ability of the chairman to participate in debate. Citing the board’s bylaws, Kurtz indicated that there was no such restriction.

The board also approved an extension of ATV use on a disputed portion of Parsons Road.

John Goodwin of the X-Tra Mile ATV Club asked the board to extend by two weeks a one-month agreement for ATVers to ride on the stretch of roadway. The club has been working to establish a new trail that would permanently remove ATV traffic from the disputed portion of the road.

Board members asked why the additional time was needed.

“If you can stop it from raining, we’ll get the work done,” Goodwin said. He estimated that another six or seven days of dry weather are needed to complete the new trail. According to Goodwin, nine of the previous 30 days had been so rainy as to preclude work.

Goodwin vowed to complete the work by the extended deadline of 5 p.m. July 15.

“If we’re not done, we’ll close it,” he said.