PARIS – Selectmen adopted a revised ordinance Thursday allowing a selectman’s wife to continue serving on the Planning Board.

Selectmen voted 3-2 to accept an ordinance that removed language stating that neither a municipal officer nor his or her spouse may serve on the Planning Board.

The amendment allows Jackie Young, wife of Selectman Glen Young, to remain on the board.

The clause led to the ordinance’s defeat at a special town meeting in September, when residents approved addressing and Appeals Board ordinances. The Planning Board ordinance was drawn up before Young was elected as a selectman in June.

Young was one of two selectmen voting against acceptance of the ordinance as the topic of discussion switched to another issue. Chairman Ernest Fitts III suggested that the Planning Board commitment be reduced from a five-year term to three years.

Fitts cited former Planning Board member Robert Jewell, who opted not to continue serving on the board after his term expired this year.

“I just wasn’t willing to commit to another five years,” Jewell said Friday. “I would have done three.”

“I think we lost a valuable man,” Fitts said.

Fitts later added that he would have preferred to have three-year commitments apply to all municipal boards. Young also expressed support for a three-year term, as did some residents attending the meeting.

Selectman Gerald Kilgore said the five-year term was necessary to learn the tasks necessary for Planning Board members.

“It takes awhile to take it all in,” Kilgore said.

Selectman Raymond Glover agreed, saying the five-year terms have been in place in town for 40 years.

“We don’t have a problem,” Glover said.

A motion by Young to reduce the commitments was defeated 3-2, with Young and Fitts voting in favor and Kilgore, Glover and David Ivey voting against. In a subsequent vote, the revised ordinance with five-year commitments was accepted along the same split.

Town Manager Sharon Jackson said the issue will not be revisited until the June town meeting, although it may be discussed prior to that date.