COVENTRY — A meeting last night of the Town Council, the School Committee and the community’s legislative delegation, to discuss the town’s prospects for state aid, degenerated into a shouting match between the council president and Rep. Nicholas Gorham, who ultimately was escorted from Town Hall by two local police officers.

When the session began, the topic shifted to the $19.8-million bond-issue package that local voters rejected soundly in a referendum last Wednesday.

That package — which was on the ballot as an all-or-nothing proposition — included $9 million for the schools, including major structural repairs and upgrades to comply with the toughened state fire code. Without those code improvements, four schools might have to remain closed this September.

Council Vice President Bruce Thompson asked the legislators — who included, besides Gorham, Representatives Raymond Sullivan and Victor Moffitt and Sen. Leonidas Raptakis — whether the General Assembly might approve another special referendum, this one proposing only $10 million for the schools.

At that point, Gorham demanded to know why the bond package had been presented as an all-or-nothing proposition in the first place. Constituents, he said, had told him they did not want to see such a big borrowing package.

Countered acting Town Manager Paul K. Sprague, “Why didn’t you say something? Why didn’t we hear from you before?”

Council President Justin Pomfret then declared: “Thank you Mr. Gorham, you just lost us $5 million.” (He was alluding to a state guarantee of 50 percent reimbursement for improvements to the schools.)

Pomfret and Gorham then began shouting at each other. When Gorham asserted he had the floor, Pomfret declared, “I’ll give you the floor when I’m ready.” He added, “Am I going to have to ask you to leave?”

At that point, Gorham brought up Tuesday’s council meeting, at which he had been cut off when he complained about a vote on an amendment to the town’s campground ordinance.

After a few more exchanges, Pomfret asked the town manager and then Town Sergeant John Sullivan to escort the legislator from the building. When Gorham refused to leave, the council president called a meeting recess, and the police were called.

When Gorham was escorted out by two police officers, Representative Moffitt left with him.

When the meeting reconvened, Pomfret declared, “The president of the council deserves respect. I’ll give you the floor. I run a tight and orderly meeting. I hold this title with a lot of respect and dignity.”

Gorham commented later, “This is the first time I’ve ever been escorted out by police. I’ve never been removed from a public forum for having heated argument.”

lsparks@projo.com