NEW VINEYARD — The annual town meeting will begin with votes on two controversial ordinances residents rejected last summer.

The meeting at Smith Hall will start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 9. After choosing a moderator, voters will decide on the Duties and Code of Conduct Ordinance for selectmen and a Recall of Elected Municipal Officials Ordinance.

Last August, the code of conduct ordinance was defeated by a 38-48 vote. Residents also rejected the recall ordinance by 23-51 tally.

Ordinances would require stricter standards of behavior for municipal officers and defined procedures for a recall.

A third article requests selectmen conduct background checks before hiring any full-time, part-time and contract employees.

Voters will choose two new selectmen in elections from the floor. Frank Forster will seek another three-year term. Doug Withey, re-elected last year for a second term, has resigned, so the remaining two years of his term is open, said Fay Adams, chairwoman of the board.

Road Commissioner Earl Luce Jr. faces no challengers.

The two-year terms of three Planning Board members have expired. Jon Cavanaugh, Greg Swenson and Patti Knapp have not announced whether they will seek re-election.

This year's town budget is less than half of 1 percent more than last year's, according to Adams. "If everything passes, we'll approve a total of $568, 101," she said. "This will be a lean year, and we don't know how much we'll be getting from state revenue sharing, how much we'll have to pay to the school budget and the (Franklin) County budget."

Selectmen recommend taking $50,000 from surplus to apply to this year's budget.

Expenditures include approximately $308,ooo to rebuild almost a mile of Barker Road. Adams said $93,000 is available in the Local Roads Assistance account, and another $40,000 from certificates of deposit.

"If we borrow $175,000, we will pay that back over six years with the $31,284 we get each year from the (Maine) Department of Transportation," she said.

Adams said a complete property revaluation last year brought real estate records up to date. Voters authorized the purchase of TRIO software to document and update future property valuations and related data.

Robert Stevens of Farmington will serve as the selectmen's agent for assessing properties.

Adams also noted that James Cahill, the town's code  enforcement officer for many years, has resigned. Selectmen will seek a candidate to fill that position.