Here, people deliberate at town meeting. Here, town meeting matters.

Voters on Saturday spent two hours deliberating the first four of the 46 articles on the town meeting warrant.

By a 30-28 vote, they decided they didn't want the Select Board to act as road commissioner, although the change would have saved the town about $10,000 and the road commissioner answers to the board.

Later, residents voted to pay the road commissioner $17,000 instead of the $8,000 the board had suggested. In the meantime, there is no road commissioner.

Clint Spaulding resigned from the position to run for the Select Board; he won the most votes, but the election is being contested.

Selectwoman Carol Richardson said that a relative of hers, Joe Richardson, had offered to do the road commissioneer's job for $8,000. Jerry Spaulding said from the audience Saturday that he, too, is interested in the job.

Before the vote on allowing the board to act as road commissioner, Selectman Ron Price said such a move would mean a "net gain" of $10,000 for the town.

"The selectmen have the final say anyway," Price said. "You're paying someone for a glorified position. It's just a title."

Others saw it differently.

"As far as I know, we've always had a road commissioner in town, and $17,000 isn't extravagant," Steve Bennett said. "It's a job that ought to be allocated to a person in town."

Spaulding's mother, Nancy Spaulding, asked where the town could find anyone to do the job for $8,000.

"We're trying to save money for the town," Carol Richardson answered.

Tom Clay saw it otherwise.

"This looks like a corralling," Clay said. "Who the heck would want to be road commissioner for $8,000? This way, the selectmen get their way."

Price had a quick response.

"The selectmen aren't trying to hoodwink the public," he said. "You have a choice, in black and white."

During later discussion of the road commissioner's pay, Jerry Spaulding said he would be interested in the position. Jay Guber, the town's code enforcement officer, asked him if he would be willing to admit that nepotism is involved, given that he is related to town officials.

"I'm 29 years old," Spaulding responded. "To most of the people, that means that I'm a meathead. There's no nepotism. I'm family, too."

For a moment, there was laughter.