HARTLAND -- Selectmen's attempt on Tuesday to fire longtime Town Manager Peggy Morgan has prompted a group of residents to organize a demonstration.

On Monday around 6 p.m., town residents plan to carry signs and march roughly a half-mile from the town's bandstand to Morgan's house, said organizer Suzan Ackerman, a Hartland native.

"We knew nothing about this occurring," Ackerman said of the selectmen's actions. "There were a lot of people wanting to show support, so I took the initiative to get some people together and show the selectmen there are many people in town who would like to see this worked out."

Meantime, selectmen have scheduled a special meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 21 Academy Street, to discuss Morgan's position.

Morgan has been out on paid medical leave for cancer treatment since Sept. 4 and she told selectmen on Tuesday that her cancerous tumor was gone and she felt well enough to return to work.

Without any public notice, the town's three selectmen then deliberated among themselves and returned with a 2-1 decision to terminate Morgan's employment as town manager.

First Selectman Harry Gould backtracked on the vote the next day, Wednesday, acknowledging in an interview with the Morning Sentinel that the hastily-convened vote "was illegal" and no official decision had been made.