SABATTUS – Townspeople will vote Tuesday on a proposal to create a charter commission, a panel that would look at the way the town carries out its municipal business.

“Ever since the Turnpike interchange opened, we’ve really been feeling the growth of a bedroom community,” Town Clerk Robin DuLac said.

That growth spurt led some in town to wonder if there’s a better way of doing things.

Sabattus operates as a home-rule community now, following edicts laid out by state law. If it decides to draft and accept a charter, then the town would set its own rules of government.

“There’s been a lot of controversy” about the charter proposal, DuLac noted. “Some people want a town manager, but others don’t.”

She also notes there’s a need to maintain more documentation of what actions the town undertakes, particularly given the likelihood that there will be more growth.

On Tuesday – polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Sabattus’ roughly 3,000 voters will decide the charter commission issue. Regardless of how they vote, DuLac said they’ll also be asked to vote for a slate of candidates seeking election to the charter commission.

The six are: Richard Gonya, Loretta Hinkley, Scott Kauffman, J.P. Normand LaPlante, Amedeo Lauria and Jon Mennealy. The ballot will also have slots for write-in candidates.

DuLac said that if the commission proposal is approved, the panel would have one year to draft a charter. Their work would then go back to voters at town meeting for an up-or-down vote.

– Doug Fletcher