WRENTHAM - Town meeting voters on April 30 will be asked to provide the town with something it presently lacks - a provision to recall elected officials.

The proposal follows in the wake of the saga that enveloped selectmen and police the past few months.

The recall proposal calls for a recall election if the signatures of at least 5 percent of registered voters are obtained. At least 25 percent of voters would have to cast ballots for an official to be recalled.

Since the town has no charter, the proposal must be approved by the state Legislature, Town Clerk Carol Mollica said.

Former Selectman Richard Dion, who resigned in February, later citing his frustrations with board members for what he said was an inability to work together and make progress on key issues for the good of the town, led the petition drive for the recall. "I was pretty surprised when I discovered we didn't have any way of removing an elected official, that voters didn't have a means of exercising that right," Dion said.

"I thought it was appropriate to put before town meeting to see if voters felt" such a provision would be warranted.

Dion said he has been hearing first and secondhand that there is a lot of support for the article.

"Any business has the ability to fire employees and make necessary changes," said Dion, a businessman. "It just struck me somewhat shortsighted not to have that ability. It seems a natural right to me."

During the battle between selectmen and the police union concerning an Internet blog, union representatives called for the resignation of Selectwoman Jennifer Firth, who had insinuated that the postings critical of selectmen were by a local officer. However, Dion said the recall initiative isn't aimed specifically at Firth.

"Certainly recent events have helped raise the need, in my opinion, at least to give voters the right to consider that as an option," Dion said of a recall election.

Firth has refused to resign and did apologize for perpetuating what she acknowledged was a rumor about a police officer that has been proven untrue. But Firth points out she and other board members are elected by residents to look out for their interests as taxpayers, and notes union representatives are looking out for their own interests.

"We have a hard enough time getting people to run for office and serve on boards and commissions. It doesn't seem sensible," Selectman Edward Goddard said of a recall option.

Sgt. William McGrath, head of the police union, counters: "We would support a recall petition because it holds elected officials accountable."

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson@thesunchronicle.com.