RICHMOND — Just over a month after taking office as one of four Hopkinton representatives on the Chariho Regional School Committee, William “Bill” Felkner created a blog: the Chariho School Parents’ Forum.

This past Tuesday the blog got him in hot water.

Felkner is president of the Ocean State Policy Research Institute and executive director of the Rhode Island Center Right Coalition.

He ran as a write-in candidate for the school board in the November 2006 election, and in his campaign had discussed creating a Web site to increase communications and improve relations with the community.

Once he took office, the paperwork came, “an inch-thick packet,” said Felkner.

And that’s how the blog — in its current form — came to be, he said.

“I can’t digest it all, and I decided to share it,” he said. “I wish I could say it was a master plan.”

It started slowly. Felkner requested input from residents and then he summarized his positions and recapped School Committee meetings.

Eventually, the blog took a life of its own. Felkner’s comments grew more pointed and residents started participating on a regular basis, posting research of their own.

There was the (ongoing) discussion on the district’s mathematics program. The one on special education and the RYSE School. And the building proposal that was defeated by voters last November.

But some of his fellow School Committee members — including Robert Petit — took exception to his deportment and postings.

Last September the district’s support personnel union, which was in the midst of contract negotiations, filed a grievance against the School Committee that alleged an unfair labor practice and cited Felkner by name.

The committee has discussed the grievance behind closed doors.

But Felkner, who has talked about the issue in public and released a copy of a proposed settlement sent by the union by e-mail, says the discussions were about his blog and his actions and, therefore, amounted to a grievance against him, which he requested to have heard in public.

On Tuesday night the committee agreed with Petit, and on a 7-2-1 vote concurred that Felkner had violated “executive session confidentiality” by releasing information on Feb. 12 about the unfair-labor-practice grievance.

“The Chariho School Committee would like to move forward in supporting an open and professional working climate that is conducive to improving education at Chariho,” Petit wrote. “As such, the committee does not condone Mr. William Felkner’s recent disclosing of executive session information.”

Felkner and George Abbott voted against. Deborah Jennings abstained.

As Felkner, Abbott and Hopkinton Councilwoman Barbara Capalbo — the only member of the public present — raised their hands to comment further on the issue, Holly Eaves moved Petit’s motion for the committee to adopt the letter, effectively closing discussion.

“Does the public . . .” she started asking Capalbo, at one point turning to Abbott.

Committee Chairman William Day cut her off, reminding her that all comments are to be addressed at the chairman, who has to recognize each speaker, and the question had already been moved.

“She is only a town councilor,” Abbott said sardonically.

marmenta@projo.com