NEW GLOUCESTER — Selectmen decided Monday night to aim for no increases in spending or staff in the 2012-13 budget, unless they can be justified.

They also agreed on merit pay increases of up to 3 percent based on employee performance, not to spend excessively from the Undesignated Fund Balance, and to ask department heads to review equipment replacements to determine if they can be postponed.

Christopher Rheault said he was disappointed at the board’s inaction on addressing committee appointments that began at a workshop in August.

Issues surfaced last summer when Selectman Josh McHenry said the board lacks an appointment policy and procedure, making it difficult for “new blood” to serve on volunteer committees.

The issues are family members serving on the same committee and multiple committees, and conflict of interest and financial disclosures not being transparent because there is no policy and procedures.

The public workshops have been closed to public comment and not televised on the town’s cable TV channel.

Penny Hilton said a selectmen’s meeting and a selectmen’s workshop were cancelled because a board member couldn’t attend, so the issue remains unresolved.

“More clarity is needed. You seem to be kicking the can down the road here,” she said. “I must caution you on the mindset of (using) whether you have or have not grown up here. People who live here are equal to everyone else. We’re still asking for clarity of information,” she said.

McHenry’s effort to create a blog to keep residents informed of the budget review process was tabled for more information on liability and municipal oversight issues.

Town Manager Sumner Field III said there can be potential issues from using the town’s website and allowing comments that may be inappropriate.