HARTFORD – A special town meeting scheduled for Nov. 20 has been postponed because selectmen are considering what form of voting will be used.

The meeting will be held sometime in December, and Selectman Scott Swain is proposed that it not be an open meeting but a referendum with voters using paper ballots. He said some people were concerned about sitting though a long town meeting, and he thinks more people will vote if they don’t have to endure long discussions amd can just come and vote.

One article on the warrant is whether to continue the monthly town suppers at the town hall.

Selectman Lee Holman said, “There’s something about this that seems a little odd to me. Making decisions in open town meetings is part of our tradition.”

Selectman Laura Marston said she noticed that a lot of the older residents didn’t come to town meetings because they can’t sit at them all day.

Swain said a lot of people don’t have the time to come and sit, and it ends up with a small group of people making the decisions for the entire town.

Animal Control Officer Lianne Bedard asked if having written ballots was a way to keep her petition off the warrant because she said it had to be presented at an open meeting. The petition asks voters to change the positions of town clerk, tax collector, town treasurer and assistant to the selectmen from appointment to election beginning with the 2005 annual town meeting. The petition has 75 signatures.

Swain said it could be done in secret ballot, but Bedard had a different opinion. Swain said he would seek legal counsel.

If the special town meeting voting is by paper ballot, there will be an informational meeting at least 10 days before. The warrant will have to be posted 45 days in advance.

Holman moved to have the matter tabled until the board had more information.

She and Marston voted to table; Swain abstained from voting.

William Whited of William Whited Inc. and John Cleveland of Community Dynamics Corp. presented their plan and answered questions for a sand and salt shed. Swain said the board will make a decision on a plan at the next selectmen’s meeting Nov. 4.

The tax rate was set at $17.76 per $1,000 of valuation. The present rate is $17.20. Swain said the overlay will be less, but they were trying to keep the tax rate as low as possible.

The next potluck supper at the town hall is Friday, Nov. 5.