Louis Rioux held a copy of Boothbay's 2004 Annual Report open to a photograph of the town's public works department.

"There's only one of those guys left," he said to the Boothbay Board of Selectmen at a meeting Monday. "That seems to be the problem now, forever and a day. Why can't the town keep employees?"

Selectman Bruce MacDonald acknowledged that the department had undergone some turnover of late, but added the board had done its best to resolve it, even hiring an outside consultant to work on teambuilding a month ago.

"When you deal with personnel issues, you don't deal with them out in public," he said. "We're looking to build a strong and permanent team. I think things are going pretty well up there. We have done all the things that an employer can do."

Michael Hills, Daniel Hicks and David Brewer all resigned from the department within the past year, according to a phone interview with Town Manager John Anderson Tuesday. All three positions have since been filled.

Several executive sessions held with former employees prior to their resignations revealed little in the way of problems, Board Chairman Ross Edwards said at Monday's meeting.

"There was nothing wrong as far as they were concerned," he said. "They wouldn't say a bloody word. They wouldn't talk one-on-one with us."

Rioux suggested that the town begin hiring employees with construction experience, as well as a town mechanic.

"I think what the town is in dire need of right now is a public works director, not a backhoe operator," he said, suggesting that a committee that includes local contractors be formed to examine the issue.

In a phone interview Tuesday, MacDonald said the board of selectmen would continue to work closely with the public works department.

"I wouldn't characterize it as in turmoil, or say that it's under control," MacDonald said. "I think it's in transition. I believe that [the] turnover does indicate that we have a lot of work to do stabilize the situation."

Rioux also questioned the board about its recent decision to appoint selectman Chuck Cunningham as one of the town's representatives to the Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District (BRRDD) Board of Trustees.

"I trust Chuck's judgment, and I think he's a good man, but if he's busy being a selectman he's got his boots full," said Rioux.

Though other candidates were qualified, MacDonald said he voted for Cunningham because of his track record on both the planning board and the board of selectmen.

"He's not afraid to raise difficult questions and that's important," he said.

Edwards added that the town had sought a legal opinion from the Maine Municipal Association on the matter, and pointed out that a Boothbay Harbor selectman also sits on the BRRDD board.

Finally, Rioux asked the selectmen about the status of a petition presented to them in April requesting that Anderson's contract not be renewed.

"He's up for contract renewal next spring," said Edwards. "That's the time we'll discuss it."

Rioux suggested that the board get a head start in hiring another town manager.

"This is not going to go away," he said. "It's going to be very ugly come spring time. I guarantee it."

In other business, selectmen discussed the possibility of maintaining the full length of Gaecklein Road, in light of a proposed home beyond the point where the road is presently maintained.

Anderson estimated that 120 yards of gravel and significant regrading would be needed.

Board members agreed that minor drainage and ditching work could be done soon, but that a major overhaul of the road would have to wait until spring.