Former Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Bill Foote has sued the town and four town councilors who voted against his re-appointment in March because of his attitudes toward the School Board and the proposed village common.

Foote was an unsuccessful candidate for the School Board in an election that month. After his loss, he promised to keep a close eye on how the board handled its oil contract, rising retirement costs and capital funds. Foote had also questioned the ability of the Bedford Village Common Committee to get donations without the backing of $110,000 in town funds.

The town councilors decided to remove him from the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 16.

At least one former School Board member, however, said she had no objections to what Foote said about the board.

“He said that over the years and I never had a problem with him saying he would keep an eye on the school board,” said Sue Thomas, who was on the board from 2000 to 2008 and is a 13-year member of the Parks and Recreation Commission.

At the Town Council meeting, Town Councilor Michael Scanlon said the vote was a personal move against him since he and Foote are friends. Scanlon voted for the re-appointment.

Foote had served on the commission since 2006 and was elected as chairman in 2008.

In a suit filed April 22 in Hillsborough County Superior Court Foote alleges the Town Council violated his constitutional right to freedom of speech and deprived him of his right to participation in local government.

The “defendants acted with full knowledge that they were violating Foote’s constitutionally and legally protected rights, and they did so maliciously and with callous indifference to Foote’s constitutional rights to punish Foote for disagreeing with them, to deter others in the community from opposing their policies and programs,” the suit states.

The suit calls for an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages and it says Foote should be reimbursed for his legal bills. Foote is also seeking to be reinstated as a member of the commission.

He said he wanted to show the council there are consequences for removing him for political reasons. He said he is standing up for other town board and commission members.

“I think I’m fighting the good fight for every other volunteer in town who could get smacked around by the town council for their own opinion,” Foote said.

His lawsuit names the four councilors who opposed his reappointment: Mike Izbicki, Bob Young, Paul Roy and Bill Dermody. Foote is asking Superior Court to hold those four liable for any financial losses the town incurs as a result of the suit. In his suit, Foote says they are personally responsible because they did not act in good faith or within the scope of their office when they voted against his appointment.

Izbicki, the chairman, said the council would not comment on the suit, referring calls to town attorney Bart Mayer, who could not be reached for comment.

The suit also claims the Parks and Recreation Commission is operating illegally because Foote should have been reappointed as a member in March. The suit asks Superior Court to declare that all commission business since March 16 is invalid and void.

Thomas, the new chairman of the commission, said it will nevertheless continue to carry on its business. At its last meeting on April 14, the commission approved the use of town tennis courts for two summer camps. Its next meeting is scheduled for May 12.

She added that she was sorry to see Foote go. “I thought he did a great job not only on parks and recreation but also as Parks and Recreation chair,” she said. “I was disappointed to see him go.”