Despite pleas from residents not to mess with a hallowed New England tradition, the Gray Town Council Tuesday night voted to work on a charter change that would eliminate the annual town meeting,

Councilors voted 4-0, with Matt Sturgis absent, to explore abolishing the town meeting, a change that would have to be approved by voters at the polls, likely in November 2010. The proposal would eliminate the town meeting, but maintain the budget referendum vote at the polls.

Town Manager Deborah Cabana and Council Chairman Peter Gellerson now will work with town attorneys to craft the language of the change. It is unclear at this time whether a Charter Commission would have to be formed to make the change, and that depends largely on the substance and scope of the change.

The proposal was brought up by the council after just 75 people attended the May 2 town meeting, at which residents decided on the budget that will be voted on at the polls June 9. In making the vote, councilors said the low turnout at town meeting was troubling, since it meant around 1 percent of the town’s residents are making decisions for the rest of the community.

But if the problem is that too few people attend Gray’s town meeting, residents at Tuesday’s meeting said, then the solution may be making the annual tradition of debate and decision-making more important rather than eliminating it altogether.

Some residents argued to eliminate instead the referendum vote, which was enacted by voters in 2006. Making available the second, easier opportunity to vote on the budget at the polls, instead of during an hours-long weekend meeting, has made town meeting less attractive, they said.

“Bring it back to one day,” said resident Pam Wilkinson.

Councilors Peter Gellerson and Tracy Scheckel said it bothered them that roughly 1 percent of the population was making decisions at town meeting for the rest of Gray. It is difficult, they said, for many people to take time out of their busy lives to go over the budget line by line. Many residents feel that is the job of the council, Scheckel said, and they trust town officials to do the right thing.

Some residents, however, argued that it is exactly the effort it takes to attend town meeting that makes it so special. If a ball game or a day off mean more to the populace than the particulars of town government, then maybe it is time for people to reconsider their priorities, Don Hutchings said.

“If it means something to you, you should go to the town meeting,” he said.

Resident Steve Bunker suggested that town meeting be made more of a community affair, with school groups and other organizations using it to promote their activities and efforts.

“The town meeting doesn’t have to be a dry affair,” Bunker said.

Town meeting gives people the best opportunity to debate and learn about the budget and other town matters, said Sharon Bondroff, a resident. It is at times frustrating, boring and fun, but also a learning experience.

“You walk away a little smarter and a little more empowered than when you walked in,” she said.

It is a complicated and emotional issue, the councilors agreed before taking their vote – just the first step in a long process that ultimately will end with a vote by residents.

“I think it’s a decision that is too big for the five of us,” Scheckel said to her fellow councilors.

Steve Bunker was one of ten Gray residents who spoke against abolishing the town meeting Tuesday night. The Town Council voted to pursue a proposal that would eliminate the annual event, citing low attendance.