WELD - Residents declined to support a six-month ban on wind turbine projects in town at Saturday’s town meeting, instead voting to form a committee to study the issue.

The proposed 180-day wind turbine moratorium was designed to give townspeople time to educate themselves about wind power technology and establish guidelines for the development of commercial wind farms in town. Instead, a committee will begin developing guidelines on the subject, issuing recommendations on whether the town should allow any turbines at all, and if so, where.

The town also voted to form another committee to develop ideas for $45,500 obtained through the sale of the Weld school building. Possible suggestions have included a scholarship for Weld students.

At Friday’s polls, residents reelected Selectman Nancy Stowell, who defeated challenger Kelly Hutchinson, as well as the unopposed Nancy Pratt to the planning board. Carol Cochran, the town clerk and tax collector, was reelected to begin serving her 34th year in Weld.

Residents did approve the expenditure of $28,000 for an update of the town’s valuation, roughly half of what the effort will cost. Also approved was a revision to the shoreland zoning regulations, which allows owners of property in resource protection areas to upgrade septic systems. Prior to that change, there was no provision for those owners to replace failed systems, which are typically more detrimental to the lake than newer systems.

A total of $231,760 in tax appropriations was approved at Saturday’s meeting, to help fund an overall municipal budget of $472,000. That represents an $8,000 decrease in the town’s tax commitment from 2009.