LISBON – The Governance Review Committee expects to have its recommendations on whether or not there should be changes in the town meeting process ready by April 1.

The committee of seven was appointed by selectmen last fall to conduct a study of the town meeting process and present its findings to the Board of Selectmen prior to this year’s town meeting that takes place in May. An interim report was presented at a recent public hearing. Surveys were sent to homes and 3 percent, or 125, were returned and 49 contained comments.

Committee Chairman J. Michael Huston said initial inspections of the surveys indicated 54 percent of the respondents thought the town should change town meeting, while 46 percent thought it should continue as is. The panel will meet the last week of March for a final review and analysis of the surveys. Data will be included in a report to selectmen along with a typed version of the recommendations for their review

It will then be up to selectmen whether or not an article will be included in the town meeting warrant seeking changes. The recommendations could range all the way from doing nothing to forming a charter commission, or something in between. Attendance at town meetings in recent years has diminished, Town Manager Curtis Lunt said, prompting selectmen to seek public input on what could be done to improve participation. Members of the committee, in addition to Huston, are Paul Chizmar, Martha Poliquin, E. Charles Smith, Layne Curtis, Connie Moran and Courtenay Fenn.