AUBURN — After more than 30 years in the Boy Scouts of America, including two years leading Androscoggin and Oxford counties, Ed Desgrosseilliers is out.
Eric Tarbox, who leads the Scouts’ Portland-based Pine Tree Council, said Tuesday that Desgrosseilliers had resigned.
But Desgrosseilliers, who helped lead the effort to preserve the Boy Scouts’ Camp Gustin in Sabattus, said he was pushed out after a disagreement with another volunteer.
Or maybe it was because he is too outspoken, he said.
“Maybe I talk too much,” Desgrosseilliers said. “I volunteered and they fired me from my job. How low can you get?”
Desgrosseilliers has volunteered with the Scouts since his son, now in his early 40s, was a small boy. Meanwhile, he has been an outspoken liberal and has run for local office.
When the Pine Tree Council weighed selling the camp, Desgrosseilliers fought it, arguing that it violated the trust of the land’s donor, Charles Gustin. In 2010, the council gave up the idea.
Desgrosseilliers said the latest conflict arose after a recent meeting, in which another volunteer was promoted.
“I had reservations about this young man because of his family and his job and whether he’d have time,” he said. This man and another became angry, Desgrosseilliers said. Desgrosseilliers later apologized.
“I thought it was over,” he said.
Then, Tarbox told him he was done, he said.
Tarbox insisted Tuesday that the departure was Desgrosseilliers’ decision. He said there was “an incident,” but he declined to describe it.
“He offered to resign and we accepted,” Tarbox said.
“That’s a lie,” Desgrosseilliers said. “He wanted me out of there for some reason and it’s not clear to me why. Many people said it’s because I am too frank with him and open. If I have something on my mind or I disagree with it, I am very vocal about it.”
Tarbox said Desgrosseilliers remains a Scout in good standing, though he no longer serves as head of the local district.
“He has served many years, and we appreciate everything Ed has done for us,” Tarbox said.
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