LONDONDERRY, N.H. (AP) – You’d never know that most of his fellow executive councilors wanted him to quit by the way they treated him Wednesday.

Councilor Ray Burton has come under fire outside the council chambers for having hired a convicted sex offender as a campaign aide.

“What he did, I think, was awful,” Gov. John Lynch said after the meeting. “Keeping on staff a known sex offender, who three times refused to register as a sex offender. We saw this with the latest arrest….”

Burton’s former campaign aide, Mark Seidensticker, is in jail awaiting trial after police say he tried to pick up a teenage boy in Concord. Police also said they found ropes and sexual aids in his car.

“What, for example, would have happened if that boy had accepted the alcohol and gotten into the car of this sex offender? Something tragic could have happened,” the governor said.

Lynch, a Democrat, is among those calling for Burton’s resignation, along with Republican Councilors Ruth Griffin, Ray Wieczorek and Democrat Debora Pignatelli.

Despite the disagreement, Lynch said Wednesday he would deal with Burton professionally as long as he’s on the council.

Other councilors took a similar approach and their meeting proceeded as usual.

Burton has said previously he will not resign though he agrees he made a mistake.

The council on Wednesday:

– Approved a plan to have the Londonderry-based Stonyfield Farm pay for state dairy inspectors to go to New Zealand. The company wants to import organic dried milk powder from a cooperative in New Zealand to boost production of organic yogurt. Stonyfield Farm will pay $60,000 for two food protection workers to make four trips to New Zealand and one state lab worker. The inspection is required before the company can import the powder from abroad.

– Approved Charlton MacVeagh for the New Hampshire Retirement System board to replace Chairman Edward Theobald. Lynch said afterward he believes MacVeagh’s interpersonal skills will help the board set aside infighting and get to business. The board oversees investments of the retirement system’s nearly $5 billion in assets. It has been in upheaval since voting in July that board chairman Theobald violated its code of ethics when he withheld information about an investment offer he received. Only Councilor Ruth Griffin opposed the MacVeagh’s appointment, not because she disliked him, she said, but because she believed Theobald should keep the job.

– Approved a federal grant to protect more than 2,000 acres in Middleton and Brookfield. The Moose Mountains Conservation Project will provide recreational land for hikers, snowmobilers and all-terrain vehicles. The cost of the conservation easement is $988,000. The new landowner will be the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, which will manage the land for timber, recreation and wildlife habitat.

AP-ES-10-05-05 2124EDT