After meeting in executive session on Tuesday night, the select board voted 3-1 to appeal. Selectmen Ann DiBernardo, Tom MacPhee and Leslie Goldman voted in favor of the appeal while Selectman Stefan Golec was the lone vote against. "To me, it's about structure," Goldman said on Wednesday. "Everyone in town hall is accountable to the town manager except the clerk and (assistant town clerk)." The assistant town clerk is hired by, and reports directly to, the town clerk, an elected official. Because the town doesn't have any managment authority over the assistant clerk, selectmen said the position can't be defined as a "municipal employee" eligible for union membership. During January's budget process, the assistant clerk was one of four jobs slated to be scaled back from full time to part time. Rockingham employees and residents, including Town Clerk Doreen Aldrich, lobbied the board to restore the hours. Eventually, the select board agreed to keep three of the positions full time, including the assistant town clerk.