WOOLWICH

The chairman of the town’s Shellfish Conservation Committee said Thursday he is hoping for a sense of order when the committee next meets, at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Dan Harrington said he expects all five Selectboard members to be present for the meeting at the town office. The Shellfish Conservation Committee is undergoing internal strife, which came to a head during a Selectboard on Jan. 23.

“I’m really, really hoping for this not to be a three-ring circus,” Harrington said. “We’re trying to avoid that.”

Harrington and Tim Larochelle have ongoing issues with fellow committee member Andy Cromwell. The reject Cromwell’s assertion that the committee has a lack of oversight regarding the resource in town, and that there is a lack of harvestable shellfish.

Harrington also objects to the fact that Cromwell has approached the Selectboard for money to help fund the committee, after not purchasing a license himself.

Cromwell wanted the town to help the committee financially, but he has not purchased a license, Harrington said.

“That’s the biggest issue — that we had a vote to go to the Selectboard and ask for money,” Harrington said. “There was no such vote.”

The license fee, meanwhile, has gone from $250 to $400.

“Tim and I have purchased licenses for ourselves, and our wives,” Harrington said. “I don’t know how much more we can do to lead by example.”

Cromwell claims that undermanagement, overfishing and a lack of adequate conservation work have contributed to a decline in clam populations along the Woolwich coast. He has declined claims that he is seeking to have Harrington replaced as committee chairman.

The three committee members swapped accusations during the Jan. 23 Selectboard meeting.

Also on Tuesday night’s agenda, the committee will consider two applications for membership. The Selectboard has final say on committee membership.