PERU – Voters will decide Monday, Nov. 5, whether to continue electing a road commissioner or have selectmen appoint one.

The town meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the Peru Elementary School. Registrar of Voters Vera Parent will be available at 6:30 p.m. to update the voter list, selectmen said at their meeting Monday night.

Road Commissioner David Gammon resigned his elected position in September, leaving winter road preparations at a standstill. The board then appointed Chairman Bill Scott as acting road foreman to get work started, but there was only one road crew member. Another worker has been hired .

Selectmen announced a vacancy on the School Committee and asked anyone interested to contact the town office. Lynda Hebert resigned recently.

The board approved having the phone in the elevator at the Grange Hall connected as required by law, but cautioned that any long distance calls would be charged to the party renting the hall. Scott voted against the move, saying thinks the phone service would be abused.

Selectmen set a hearing on the half-year town budget, Jan. 1, 2008 through June 30, 2008, for 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 The vote will be from noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10.

The town is switching its fiscal year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 to July 1 to June 30 to coincide with the school district’s fiscal year.

Also Monday night, a lengthy discussion erupted as a large contingent from the Worthley Pond Association and members of the Planning Board met to discuss the proposed new shoreland ordinance that meets state requirements.

Association spokesman Ron Ashworth said the group thinks it should be included in changes made by the Planning Board. Chairman J.R. Worthington said they had made no changes, and the changes that were handwritten into the ordinance were from the state Department of Environmental Protection and not from the Planning Board.

Worthington said meetings were open to the public and the association is welcome to attend.

Ashworth said a member would attend any Planning Board meeting where the ordinance was on the agenda.

It was agreed that selectmen’s secretary Kathy Hussey would send a copy of the agenda to the association.

Worthington said the board cannot make changes, but it can give suggestions for the state to review.