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ATTLEBORO - In a stunning move, the Attleboro Redevelopment Authority board voted 3-1 Tuesday to abolish the ARA's four staff jobs and dismiss the workers, including often controversial Executive Director Michael Milanoski.

The board, which has been remade by Mayor Kevin Dumas in recent months because of expiring terms and resignations, elected new board member and former Mayor Judith Robbins chairman in the aftermath of the vote, which prompted Chairman Pret Stevenson, who cast the only vote in opposition, to step down from the top spot.

Stevenson, a veteran board member who's been battling Dumas and defending Milanoski, described the action as "a personal vendetta."

But Robbins, who was nominated to the board by Dumas and appointed by the governor in the summer, said the move came down to dollars and cents.

With only enough cash to pay the staff through November, she said there was no other choice. "It does not make any sense to maintain these positions when we're running out of money," she said.

Robbins said the staff needs to be laid off because there's no money coming in and the ARA needs to save whatever cash it has to pay whatever bills it can pay.

The ARA has been awash in red ink, including a $3 million to $4 million debt from the agency's industrial business park project.

Benton Keene, who was appointed by Dumas a couple of years ago and who has backed Dumas' effort to obtain Milanoski's resignation, made the motion to terminate the office staff, but said it wasn't easy.

"It was a very difficult decision, but, fact is, we're running out of money," he said.

New member and Dumas appointee Rick Correia was the third vote in favor. Two weeks ago Correia slammed Stevenson for what he described as a "condescending" letter to Dumas.

The fifth board member Max Volterra, who has sided with Stevenson and Milanoski, was absent because of injuries from a minor accident.

Dumas said his administration will help the board continue the projects.

"I don't known all the answers tonight, but we're certainly willing to do anything we can to assist the board," he said. "We'll do everything in our power to make things move forward."

Robbins said ARA offices will move into city-owned space immediately to save the monthly rent of $1,500 at the Bronson Building on North Main Street. Meanwhile, the staff was prohibited from paying any bills without board approval.

Dumas said he doesn't know where ARA offices are going, but it will be somewhere the board doesn't have to pay rent.

The vote will allow Dumas, who attended the meeting but left before the vote to abolish the positions, to exert control over the floundering debt-ridden projects run by the ARA.

Last week, he said city hall can take over the projects temporarily, but would have to hire staff and fund them with grant money eventually.

A cutoff in funding from the Federal Transit Authority and the state's Executive Office of Transportation for the massive downtown revitalization helped spur the vote.

Both agencies have been concerned with the ARA's leadership and ongoing disputes with the city, and suspended funding until a city consensus on the project can be achieved.

And, board members said there's no guarantee the city can get the money again.

"We have to get our house in order and go back and see if that money will be available," Robbins said.

Dumas' administration took over the industrial business park project after negotiations with the ARA last summer. Since then, it has tentatively landed the park's first tenant and is in serious talks with two other businesses.

The mayor, along with Director of Budget and Administration Barry LaCasse are working to find a way to pay off creditors of the park, including Bristol County Savings Bank.

Land sales and tenants are crucial to that process.

Milanoski, Chief Financial Officer Meg Ross, Project Manager Ron Dubuc and Administrative Assistant Bonnie Cruff are to be laid off.

Robbins said they must be given seven days notice and they are entitled to hearings before dismissal.

Milanoski said the move caught him by surprise.

"This is something we have to get our hands around," he said. "We were not made aware of it. We'll have to review it."

ARA attorney Ed Casey said if there "truly is no money" the action is "completely legal." But if there is money, he added, it could leave the board open to "some legal claims" by the employees.

All are expected to report for work today and begin packing for the move, Robbins said.