Hartford — When voters head to the polls in November, Hartford officials hope they will correct an oversight that prevented the town from collecting an estimated $250,000 via a 1 percent local tax on the sale of rooms, meals and alcohol.

Public hearings on the local option tax and other proposed amendments to the town charter have been scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the Town Hall, as well as 7 p.m. on Oct. 25 in the Town Hall.

At Town Meeting in March, voters approved the tax, 1,641-1,309; at the same time, they approved a charter change that would eliminate the use of a floor meeting to resolve failed budgets, 1,950- 825.

However, those changes did not take effect because the House Government Operations Committee found in April that municipal officials had failed to give the public proper access to the proposed changes. Voters were given only a summary of the changes, rather than the actual language. (Under Vermont law, the Legislature must approve charter changes as well).

While the Hartford Selectboard members actively lobbied for the passage of the option tax leading up to the March vote, this time around they have been more focused on ensuring that details of the legal procedure — which include public votes by the Selectboard and School Board, the publishing of warnings for public hearings, and vote-counting on Nov. 8 — are being scrupulously followed.

“I think the public should be confident that we are on track with the process,” Town Manager Leo Pullar said on Wednesday afternoon.

He said the town is “checking often with the attorneys to ensure we are doing everything right.”

If the process is followed and voters reaffirm their support for the changes, the local option tax — which would add a percentage point levy on top of state taxes on rooms, meals and alcohol — would go into effect in 2017. Those who favored the tax argued it would be a valuable source of revenue for the town that would come largely from tourists, and thereby ease pressure on local property taxes. Those who argued against it said it would disadvantage local restaurants and hotels in the competitive marketplace.

The other charter change would only affect municipal budgets that failed during Australian ballot voting on Town Meeting day. Currently, failed budgets are reconsidered and potentially amended at a traditional Floor Meeting; under the proposed change, failed budgets would instead be considered for amendment by the Selectboard and then presented to voters in another Australian ballot vote.

Those who argued in favor of the change said Australian ballot is a more inclusive process that draws on input from more voters; those who argued against it said they were loathe to abandon the tradition of the floor vote, which they said is a more profound expression of participatory democracy.

In the March vote that the state found to be invalid, voters approved the change, 1,950- 825.

Though the changes have not yet been approved to the state’s satisfaction, the town is already preparing to consider a new batch of charter amendments in March.

On Tuesday evening, the Selectboard voted to appoint former Selectman F.X. Flinn and Scott Johnson to a fourth Charter Commission. They also voted to recommend former Selectwoman Gayle Ottmann as a joint appointment from the Selectboard and the School Board.

The new commission is charged with eliminating language that is duplicated in state statute, modifying the Town Meeting cycle, and considering other possible improvements.

It is expected to report recommendations to the Selectboard later this year, which would allow the Selectboard to present further changes to voters in March.

Matt Hongoltz-Hetling can be reached at mhonghet@vnews.com or 603-727-3211.