RANGELEY — The annual town meeting will be conducted by referendum next year rather than an open town meeting.

Townspeople voted 64-34 Thursday night to change the voting method to secret ballot at the polls, Town Manager Tim Pellerin said Friday.

There was a positive debate that became contentious at times, but the article passed by a secret ballot vote during the town meeting.

Pellerin has said it would be a great opportunity to get more people to vote and to have more voices heard. He also said it would allow voters more privacy when making their decisions.

The referendum process also provides the option for people to vote by absentee ballot within 30 days of the vote.

Public hearings will be held prior to the annual town meeting vote.

All budgets pertaining to town department operations passed, Pellerin said. The proposed budget was $3.96 million, 1.88 percent less than the current budget, but some changes were made during the meeting that were still being computed Friday.

Voters also passed two ordinances and a language update to a chapter that deals with vendors’ licenses, Pellerin said.

The ordinances can be found at townofrangeley.com under the Ordinance Committee.

Voters rejected an ordinance for Cemetery Rules and Regulations. They wanted the Ordinance Committee to give more information and clarifications and noted some inconsistencies, Pellerin said.

Voters passed a Nuisance Noise Ordinance that pertains to excessive, unnecessary or unreasonable noise or disturbance between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. that disturbs the peace and quiet of others. Specific targets include vocal, exhaust, vehicle and musical; exemptions include snow removal, emergency situations and logging and commercial trucking companies.

They also passed a Recall of Elected Officials Ordinance that sets up a petition process for recalling elected officials, except school board members, who:

• Fail to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the office;

• Engage in conduct which brings the office into disrepute;

• Engage in conduct which displays an unfitness to hold the office; 

• Are convicted of a felony crime under the laws of the state of Maine;

• Are convicted of a felony crime under the laws of the United States or enter a plea of guilty to such an offense.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net