CHARLESTOWN — Town Administrator Richard J. Sartor submitted his resignation effective Dec. 28 to the Town Council yesterday. However, Sartor will start taking accrued time as of today, he said.

Sartor, who submitted his resignation shortly after learning three of the five council members-elect planned to oust him, said he decided to resign after learning the election results.

“My wife and I discussed the possibility [of resigning] several months ago and we were waiting to see what the outcome of the election was,” Sartor said.

“I felt I couldn’t work effectively with the new council,” he said. “Also, I said many times in the event that either I felt a need for change or the council did, I would be open to reconsider the appointment.”

His resignation will be on the council’s Monday agenda, but the council’s vote is a formality under the terms of his contract. Sartor was an employee at will and could resign at any time provided he gave 30-day notice.

Katharine H. Waterman, the only incumbent who was reelected Tuesday, expressed her dissatisfaction with the news. “I think this is going to turn out to be the most costly mistake that the voters of Charlestown have made,” she said.

“All the progress that we’ve made for the past four years that I’ve been on the council working with Mr. Sartor are going to go down the tube,” Waterman said.

“I can’t imagine who is going to apply for this job when we have forced the resignation of a good man. The job doesn’t look terribly attractive if you fire good people.”

Democrats James M. Mageau and Bruce W. Picard and independent John O. Craig Jr. had said yesterday afternoon they planned to meet with Sartor to discuss personnel changes – particularly Sartor’s future in town.

“His future is bleak, very bleak,” said Mageau, an outspoken critic of Sartor.

Mageau and Picard had promised during their campaign they would replace the town administrator if elected.

“That hasn’t changed,” Picard said.

“I don’t really want to go as far as to say firing him, but I know Mr. Mageau would like to see that happening.”

Craig too fell short of speaking of firing Sartor. He said he would like to implement personnel changes and urged a reporter to “read between the lines.”

“He feels he’s the king,” Craig said of Sartor. “That’s what I’ve been reading, he’s in charge.”

Councilwoman-elect Harriet A. Allen, an independent, also criticized Mageau, Picard and Craig for rushing to oust Sartor.

“There certainly is dissatisfaction with his performance,” Allen said of Sartor. But “I don’t think it’s the proper process to just immediately fire someone.”

“The proper [thing to do] would be to sit down with him and see if it can be worked out,” Allen said.

Sartor has been criticized for his strong personality and for exercising more control than he is entitled under the Town Charter.

Sitting Council President Deborah A. Carney and Vice President Donna Walsh – both of whom decided not to seek reelection this year – had called for Sartor’s resignation and attempted to terminate him twice earlier this year. Their motions failed 3 to 2.

Only Waterman remains from that council; Republicans Gregory J. Avedisian and Forrester C. Safford lost their seats.

Earlier this year, Sartor was in the middle of a controversy over an alleged sexual harassment incident that occurred last year in Town Hall involving town employees, and an investigation into personnel irregularities.

The council found no merit to the harassment charges and cleared Sartor of any wrongdoing. The council later approved a new policy prohibiting employees from recording conversations with or among other employees without the consent of all the involved parties.

The sexual harassment charge came to light after an employee overheard a conversation among several town officials, including Sartor.