LIVERMORE FALLS – If the time frame can be met, the town will make the switch from voting on the warrant at the town meeting, to voting by secret ballot at the polls June 12.

Selectmen voted Dec. 4 to hold the town meeting by Australian ballot on a motion made by former Selectman Russell Flagg, which was seconded by Selectman Michael Collins.

Initially, board Chairman Julie Deschesne said no decision had been made on changing from an open meeting where each warrant article could be discussed to a secret-ballot referendum.

Deschesne said Tuesday that Town Manager Martin Puckett had reminded her of the vote taken at the December meeting after an executive session late into the meeting agenda.

She planned to address that publicly Tuesday night and clarify it during the selectmen’s meeting, she said.

In June 2004, residents voted 195-175 against changing from the open meeting to a referendum at the polls in a nonbinding straw vote when Town Manager Alan Gove was in charge.

If selectmen have the budget ready to go, and warrants posted on April 28, then the town meeting will be able to go forward as a referendum vote, she said.

Puckett said he sees no reason that the budget wouldn’t be done by then.

“I feel it’s not going to be a problem, especially the way we have it scheduled,” Puckett said, referring to holding budget meetings every Monday.

Under the new schedule, the ballot articles would be posted April 28 and the ballots would become available May 13 for absentee voters, Puckett said.

A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for June 4 with all-day voting scheduled for June 12.