ROCKPORT — The Finance Committee elected a new chairman and vice-chairman and is depending on those leaders to help move the committee forward with its charge and away from recent controversy, town officials said yesterday.

The Finance Committee met and chose Jim Gardner to serve as chairman on May 21. Gardner succeeds former Finance Committee Chairman Sandy Jacques, whose third term expired May 9. Selectmen opted not to interview Jacques for reappointment after former Selectmen Chairman Joseph Lisi and Town Administrator Michael Racicot failed to recommend Jacques for reappointment.

The Finance Committee normally consists of nine members; currently there are only six people serving. Jacques was not interviewed, Charles Bluestein opted not to seek reappointment and Helen Barnett resigned last month citing personal reasons.

According to Racicot, Frank Hassler was selected as the committee's vice-chairman.

According to Selectwoman Ellen Canavan, Racicot and at least two selectmen attended the Finance Committee's May 21 meeting to oversee the committee's reorganization.

The May 21 meeting was posted in advance in Town Hall, but failed to appear on the town's Web site or be included in the list of weekly meetings sent to the Times.

Former School Committee candidate Jonathan Ring attended the meeting in keeping with the traditional means of applying for a seat on the panel. However, selectmen Tuesday opted not to nominate Ring to the Finance Committee, citing a lack of experience in financial management.

During his interview Tuesday, Ring described the May 21 Finance Committee meeting as "mostly a reorganizational meeting." Ring said committee members also discussed what direction the committee should go in moving forward and debated how independent of selectmen the committee should be.

Attempts to contact Gardner were not returned yesterday.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.