BUXTON – Failing by a scant 28 votes, a Buxton referendum on charter changes that included hiring a town manager will face a recount.

The measure lost, with 1,758 opposed and 1,730 in favor.

“That’s real close,” Andy Townsend, chairman of the town’s Charter Commission, said Wednesday.

He’s calling for a recount.

“We owe it to the people who voted yes to double check the count,” he said.

Buxton Town Clerk John Myers said Wednesday that Townsend has inquired about a recount. Myers said a recount request would require 100 signatures of voters submitted within five days.

The town’s five selectmen collectively now shoulder responsibility for handling the town’s day-by-day business. A hired town manager would have taken over that job, and be the person available in Town Hall to answer questions asked by residents.

The issue has been a divisive one. The Buxton Charter Commission, with a 5-4 split vote, had recommended changes. But a former selectman, Dan Collomy, who served on the commission and opposed the proposal, filed a minority report two weeks before the election.

In the referendum question, the proposed measure asked: “Shall the municipality approve the Charter revision recommended by the Charter Commission?” The ballot question, which was Article 2, didn’t mention town manager and there appeared to be some confusion among voters.

A former commission member, Dennis Sweatt, said he feared the measure would pass. On the drive into Buxton Town Hall Tuesday evening, Sweatt trained his truck headlights on a sign that read, “No Town Manager – No on Two.”

The referendum was “an underhanded way of getting a town manager in and people not knowing what they’re voting for,” Sweatt said while sitting in his truck.

Karen Kierstead said she saw the sign lit up by Sweatt’s headlights and then voted no.

Dale Libby voted no because he said he was not familiar enough with the proposed revisions to say yes. And, said Eric Kirmes, “I voted no.”

Sweatt said five people exiting the polls who he talked with Tuesday evening had voted yes, not realizing hiring a town manager was “tied in” to the changes.

Cyrus McCall, previously an unsuccessful candidate for selectman, said Wednesday there were several proposed revisions to the charter and the measure was unclear.

“It shows how divided the town of Buxton is,” McCall said about the close vote. He advocated creating bridges to get people working together.

The Buxton Charter Commission had six elected members and four appointed, including Collomy. Sweatt had been an elected member of the charter commission, but had resigned.

“I thought I was going to fight a losing battle,” Sweatt said.

Townsend said he didn’t believe a recount would change the vote outcome.

“This is kind of tough, but no crying here,” he said.

Town Clerk John Myers reported 2,729 ballots cast in person with another 1,036 absentee ballots for a total of 3,765. With 6,245 registered voters, Buxton had a turnout of 60.2 percent.