HARTFORD – Selectmen adopted a new ordinance policy Thursday that would require residents to petition for changes to current town laws.

The policy states that anyone seeking changes to an existing or a new ordinance written by the Ordinance Committee must present selectmen with a petition containing signatures of at least 25 registered Hartford voters.

However, the Board of Selectmen may request ordinance changes “for approval by the town” without a petition, if a majority of the board seeks it.

Approval of the policy was unanimous.

Selectman Lee Holman began the meeting by asking the board to reconsider its decision to discontinue a public comment period at the beginning of board meetings. She pointed out that Chairman Scott Swain and Selectman Laura Marston had decided to make this change; Holman wanted her objection to the policy on the record.

Swain responded that, in an attempt to try to heal a division in the town, he wanted to give residents time to simmer down before resuming the public comment period.

The disagreements are centered on a rift between Holman and the other two board members about her responsibilities. Swain and Marston said Holman has neglected her duties in favor of spending time organizing monthly town suppers at the town hall.

In other business, Swain reported that residents will vote Nov. 2 on a bond to help pay SAD 39’s share of a new heating system at Hartford/Sumner Elementary School. The state is picking up all but $39,532 of the expense.

Holman reported on her visit to Archie’s Inc. to discuss its recycling operation for Hartford. She said the town saved approximately $8,000 last year by curbside recycling.

Holman also reported on a Department of Transportation meeting with Brian Keezer of DOT concerning Hartford Center traffic safety and parking. She shared her reply from DOT, which denied most of her requests.

DOT offered suggestions to improve parking around the Town Office.

The upcoming Palesky tax cap vote was also discussed. The board indicated it will be working on a budget to show how the town will be affected if the law passes and how much property taxes may be reduced if it passes.

Swain said the town’s new code enforcement officer, Jack Plumley, wants to see some building codes established in Hartford. Swain asked Dave Kraske, who is chairman of the Comprehensive Committee, to give the board results on this question from the 130 people who responded to a recent questionnaire sent to all Hartford residents. He asked for the results by Oct. 7, the date of the next board meeting.

The board unanimously voted to set Saturday, Nov. 20, for a special town meeting. Holman asked what the agenda would be. Swain said one item will be on the Hazard Mitigation Plan; another is the issue of public suppers, although no specifics were given.

The mitigation plan requires towns to write up their plans for possible disasters in terms to satisfy the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Marston said she had no new information from FEMA.