NEW GLOUCESTER – Selectmen on Monday refused to add an article by petitioners to the May town meeting warrant to expand the New Gloucester cable television station to include public access.

The board approved a warrant of 29 articles that will go to voters on May 4.

A stream of citizens spoke harshly to the board after learning a five-page memo from the town attorney was received by the town earlier in the day on the issue.

The cable ordinance currently allows government and educational programs governed by the board and school superintendent. Upgrades to that ordinance will go before voters.

“It is really amazing how things slide in at the last minute. This is a form of poor government and there is not enough time for legal egress,” New Gloucester resident Penny Hilton said.

Board member Steve Libby tried to summarize the town attorney’s memo, but no copies were available for the public.

The petition lacked the legal number of signatures based on meeting the required 10 percent of voters at the last gubernatorial election. Instead of 53 signatures, the requirement was 220 signatures.

Last month, the petitioners were told by town staff that 51 signatures were needed, which they brought to the board and the board approved the petition.

However, the information provided by town staff proved incorrect.

“I think the public did it all in good faith, you took it in good faith. As a gift or in good faith, I gather you have the authority to put it on the town warrant,” Hilton said.

August Jaccaci said, “The town meeting is a sacred process. The only relevant thing before us is to put it to due process to the people and not block it. If you block us from the warrant, you are doing a considerable disservice to the New England town meeting.”

Petitioners wanted an expansion of the town’s cable franchise station to allow more than education and government-approved meetings and notices in the hopes of more community offerings.

Selectmen turned the article down by a 1-3-1 vote. In favor of the article was board Chairwoman Lenora Conger, opposed were Steve Libby, Pam Slye and Nat Berry. Abstaining was Linda Chase.