The Boothbay Board of Selectmen was caught in an awkward moment when it came to reappointing positions to the town’s governing boards.

Although nearly 50 positions were reappointed with mostly unanimous support on July 10, Nancy Cunningham and Michael Pander, the planning board’s chairman and vice-chairman will not resume their respective positions because the selectmen chose not to reappoint them to another term.

Selectmen Steve Lewis, Dale Harmon and Douglas Burnham voted 3-2 not to renew Pander’s appointment. Since Selectman Chuck Cunningham had to recuse himself from voting for his wife, Nancy Cunningham’s vote was tied 2-2, which effectively killed the motion for reappointment.

“Nancy didn’t see it coming, and I was the one that had to break the news to her that night when I got home,” Chuck Cunningham said.

Nancy Cunningham has served 12 years with the town of Boothbay, and the last five years were spent heading the planning board.

“I’m just very puzzled by what went on and would like an answer,” Nancy Cunningham said. “I feel like the decision was made beforehand, and if it was, out of respect they should have contacted me ahead of time.”

Pander said he did not find out about his termination until he received what he called “perfunctory email” the next day from Town Manager Jim Chaousis.

Chaousis wrote: “The Selectmen entertained appointments for FY2014 last night. Obviously, your appointment to the Planning Board for another three year term was considered, but unfortunately the Selectmen did not renew your appointment to the Planning Board.

“I apologize that I have to deliver this message by email but I was hoping to get this message to you prior to the newspaper, Channel 7, or the rumor mill. If you have any questions feel free to contact me. Thank you for your service.”

Pander was part of the planning board for five years. He said he was not aware of any personal rift between the two boards, but he too is seeking answers.

“I want to know the facts,” Pander said. “Frankly the only way I can express it is I expected a greater degree of graciousness and professionalism from the select board, and really this will weigh upon any Boothbay citizen considering service on a board in the future.”

In individual phone interviews, selectmen Lewis and Harmon both agreed the decision to vote off Cunningham and Pander was not personal, but an effort to change the direction the planning board has been going in recent years; to be more business friendly.

“I really thought it was time for some new blood to go in there,” Harmon said. “We’re really trying to push business friendly from the selectmen standpoint, and I just thought it was time to put into motion; to pull the planning board in that same direction, and that is the way I felt I had to do it.  

“It was definitely not an easy decision,” Harmon said.

Throughout their tenure, Cunningham and Pander oversaw a myriad of issues come before the planning board, but one of the more contentious was the 2012 application to construct the Watershed Tavern restaurant onto the Boothbay Craft Brewery.

The planning board unanimously agreed the brewery met all the criteria stipulated by the zoning ordinances, but when it came time to vote, the board narrowly approved the project 3-2.

Pander and Nell Tharpe voted no while Cunningham, Fran McBreatry, Jeanne Fuller voted yes.

“To me that’s a message to the business, ‘Well just because you met all the criteria we still don’t want you.’ That’s the wrong message to send,” Lewis said.

Although he voted not to reappoint Pander, Lewis said he was surprised by the voting results, especially with the departure of Nancy Cunningham, who he regards as being very knowledgeable with town affairs.

Lewis has served four consecutive years on the board of selectmen, while Harmon has served one year and a previous term three years ago.

“As a selectman you better be prepared to explain how and why you voted,” Harmon said. “If people don’t like my opinions then people can vote me out and I will be done, but while I’m here I want to vote with the most integrity that I feel I can vote with.”

Lewis, Harmon, Cunningham and Pander said in all their experiences serving for the town, they had never witnessed a candidate fail to be reappointed until now.

The planning board has held 16 meetings in the past six months to conduct ordinance review workshops in addition to their normal monthly meetings and site visits.

But the recent vacancies will likely put a strain on the planning board’s push to get ordinance changes prepared for the town warrant for the November 12 state referendum.

With only three members and two alternates currently, the planning board and town manager will be accepting applications for potential candidates.

According to Chaousis, they will fill the vacancies “as soon as practical.”