RUMFORD – Selectmen held a lengthy closed-door session Wednesday with Town Manager Steve Eldridge and accomplished much in the dispute some have with his decision-making, the board’s attorney said.

“We’re still reviewing legal issues,” Jennifer Kreckel said at the end of the meeting, adding much had been accomplished. “The attorneys will review things, then another meeting will be held,” she said, but she didn’t give a time.

On Sept. 7, Selectmen Arthur Boivin and Mark Belanger voted to ask the Office of the Attorney General to investigate whether Eldridge’s decision to hire an outside auditor was legal because bids were not solicited, and whether the decision to hire auditor RHR Smith and Co. of Buxton was made illegally in an executive session.

They also voted to dismiss the audit report because auditors failed to talk with the appropriate department heads.

Selectman Jolene Lovejoy abstained from voting on both issues, while Selectman Greg Buccina abstained from voting on the first and voted no on the second.

Chairman Jim Rinaldo didn’t weigh in on either issue because he only votes if there is a tie.

Also at that meeting, the board failed to agree to declare Eldridge’s contract void, as Rumford attorney Tom Carey recommended. Carey said the contract violated the town charter because it was given before Eldridge had been on the job a year.

Eldridge has been manager since January 2005.

On Wednesday night, Eldridge and his attorney, David Webbert, were in and out of the Municipal Building conference room twice during the more than three and a half-hour executive session.

Before it began, Boivin said he planned to delay the start until his attorney, Tom Carey, was present. Carey didn’t attend.

“There are possibilities that I might get sued,” Boivin said.

Kreckel responded there were no suits pending against Boivin.

“I don’t know that you have the right to have an attorney here,” she said, explaining that she represented the selectmen and Webbert represented the town manager.

“No one has accused Steve of anything,” said Boivin, who objected to Eldridge having an attorney present.

“I beg to differ,” said Kreckel, referring to the Sept. 7 selectmen’s meeting when Boivin called for Eldridge’s resignation or suspension until an investigation by AG’s office had been conducted. That motion died for lack of a second.

Kreckel said the executive session wasn’t about Boivin, but about Eldridge.

Just before the board voted 3-2 to go behind closed doors to discuss legal matters – Boivin and Selectman Mark Belanger were against it – Curtis Rice, representing Carey, entered the room and asked whether the board would be discussing any of the points Carey had brought up at the Sept. 7 meeting. With him was Seth Carey, a lawyer and son of Tom Carey.

Kreckel told him no, and that the board was about to enter into executive session. Seth Carey and Rice were asked to leave.

When Carey didn’t, Lovejoy asked a police officer to remove him, but then Carey left.

The board and Kreckel met from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., then they invited Eldridge and Webbert into the conference room until 7:40 p.m. Eldridge and Webbert were sent out for about 20 minutes, then allowed back in at 8 p.m. The session ended soon after.

Webbert advised Eldridge not to comment on what was said.

The matter may be brought up at the board’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. tonight in the Municipal Auditorium.