NEW VINEYARD — Town meeting voters on Saturday overwhelmingly rejected three controversial articles and approved a less than 1 percent increase in the municipal budget.

At the four-hour gathering in Smith Hall, townspeople discussed reasons to adopt a proposed code of conduct and municipal recall ordinance. They also questioned the need for criminal background checks before hiring part- and full-time employees or contract workers.

The town’s attorney, Frank Underkuffler, spoke to voters, saying he was attending at no cost to the town and wanted to offer a perspective on the proposals. Currently, all Maine municipal officials swear an oath of office and can be removed if they violate strict standards, he said.

“We have so many laws, mandates, regulations and codes, we could sink a battleship,” he said. “That’s just my bias.”

The town has had the same form of government for 200 years, he said, so residents have to ask themselves what has changed to require 26 different guidelines. After additional discussion, voters decided against adopting the ordinance

Voters re-elected incumbent Selectman Frank Forster for a three-year term and elected Niilo Sillanpaa III to serve the remaining two years of Selectman Doug Withey’s term.

Sue Lambert, Greg Swenson and Robert Sillanpaa were elected to fill Planning Board seats. Earl Luce Jr. will continue as road commissioner.

In other action, State Rep. Russell Black, R-Wilton, said he has sponsored a bill to reinstate the full amount of revenue-sharing that Franklin County towns should get. That revenue comes primarily from state sales taxes and is redistributed to municipalities to offset their tax commitments.

Gov. Paul LePage’s proposed $6.3 billion budget includes a two-year suspension of the state’s municipal revenue-sharing program. Black said he knew the impact would shift the tax burden onto property taxpayers.

“I’m a selectman in Wilton, and I think it’s too much to expect the towns to go cold turkey,” Black said.

Meanwhile, state laws require New Vineyard to collect real estate and personal property taxes, but some delinquent taxes go back more than 10 years, one resident noted. Voters questioned the efficiency and fairness of assessing personal property taxes, because residents disclose their value through an honor system.

“We get about $18,000 in personal property taxes,” Selectman Fay Adams said.

Enforcing the law is difficult and expensive, and legal costs can exceed the unpaid amount. Some towns collect only on personal business equipment, rather than on the “toys,” Underkuffler said. Theoretically, if towns do not attempt to collect personal property taxes, the state can withhold subsidies or other funds, but he could not recall a case that tested that law.

“It’s a can of worms,” he said.

The 2013 costs for Sandy River Recycling Association’s services and town transfer station have increased, but there is a simple step townspeople can take, according to one selectman. The tipping fee to dispose of the town’s waste materials is based on weight, but people are throwing away materials that could be recycled.

“Recycling reduces what this costs us,” Selectman Frank Forster said.

He urged citizens to take the time to use the option to separate items and reduce the amount that ends up in a landfill. Donna Holbrook agreed to serve as the town’s representative on the Sandy River Recycling Association board.

Property owner Fred O. Smith has asked the town to take ownership of two ponds and a dam that will provide water access for the Fire Department, but future costs and legal obligations have to be defined. Future owners of the properties could decide to deny access to the ponds, and firefighters would have a problem, fire Chief Doug Churchill said.

“We don’t have hydrants, and we need water,” he said.

Underkuffler suggested townspeople learn more about the obligations that would go along with the gift. Voters agreed to reconsider the article for a future decision.

Voters approved funding other warrant articles, including Barker Road reconstruction.