WILTON – The traditional town meeting will remain in place, selectmen voted Tuesday.

The board held a public hearing to decide whether to hold a straw poll during the November referendum. The straw poll would have been used to gauge interest in changing the town meeting to a ballot at the polls similar to Jay and other towns.

A few residents attended the hearing but not the person who proposed the idea. Finding no support for the change, the board voted to continue with the traditional meeting and try to find a way to increase attendance.

“What’s wrong with the present system?” asked Pam Prodan, whose sentiment was echoed by another resident who wanted to know why they proposed to change the process.

Perhaps more people will take part because there is an assumption that some people don’t want to vote in public, Town Manager Peter Nielsen said. Other reasons included fear of reprisal and that town meeting requires an evening where some might take the 15 minutes to vote, he said. There is also concern with special interest groups having the ability to load the town meeting with like-thinking people who may do something the town doesn’t want, he said.

“An investment of one evening is appropriate,” said Gil Riley as he mentioned how people attended the August town meeting on the Comfort Inn TIF and weren’t sure how they wanted to vote until they had a chance to listen to the discussion.

“Participation is the essence of democracy,” said Conrad Heeschen. “The person who proposed this should have come. That they aren’t here tonight says something.”

Selectman Irv Faunce asked how the town vote would work and whether the board could still call for special town meetings.

The town manager produced a referendum ballot from Jay that contained six pages with three columns to a page and included 77 articles to be voted on. This year, Wilton had approximately 60 articles on the warrant, he said. Public informational meetings are generally held prior to the vote.

The number of people voting and in attendance at the public meetings was questioned by Chairman Paul Gooch. Nielsen responded that 742 people in Jay participated in the referendum, but only 12 people attended the informational meeting.

The amount of money appropriated in the articles was also a concern. A vote would require a yes or no without the ability to appropriate a money amount as is done at town meeting, said Dennis Landry, who questioned who would assign an amount to the article.

Lacking support for the change, selectmen opted to forget the straw poll.

In other business, the board decided to put fire engine 5 on eBay. A minimum bid of $7,000 will be requested and offers reviewed at the Oct. 16 meeting.

The board awarded a paving bid to Pike Industries of Lewiston for $145,941.80 and to purchase a John Deere bucket loader from Nortrax of Bangor for $102,000.

Police Chief Dennis Brown introduced Blaine Rackliff as the newest full-time officer in the department. Another position on the force is being filled and the detective’s position was advertised and resulted in three candidates that he and the town manager are deciding on, he said.