FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Tuesday evening voted 4-1 to table discussion on changing the schedule for tax payments and moving to a fiscal year until the Feb. 11 meeting so both sides could present their case.

Selectmen Richard Morton, Joshua Bell, Matthew Smith and Byron Staples were in favor. Selectman Dennis O’Neil was opposed.

At the Dec. 10 meeting, Town Manager Erica LaCroix spoke about changing to a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year to be in line with the county and Regional School Unit 9.

Farmington resident Paul Mills expressed interest in being present for the debate on the issue. Mills has often served as moderator for local town meetings and has expressed concerns about the proposal.

“I have had communication from Paul Mills asking to be present at a meeting where this is discussed, so that he could present his position,” Morton said. “It is advantageous to us rather than having him present it at town meeting, which has happened in the past. Get it out in the open here where we can get a more controlled discussion about where we are and where he is.”

Morton noted that Mills had met with LaCroix about the proposals.

“She has made great presentations to us over the last few months, so we have a pretty good sense and so does Paul,” Morton said. “Her conversation with him is not going to change his mind, so I’m not sure that’s going to be particularly beneficial to her. We might as well have (the discussion) here.”

“I was hoping we could find some common ground,” LaCroix said of her meeting with Mills. “It’s very unlikely.”

Morton argued that waiting to have the discussion, as long as selectmen were all right with the delay so they can hear from Mills, “seems to me that is a better use of our time.”

O’Neil worried that delaying to accommodate Mills may set an unwanted precedent.

“I am concerned that every time there is an article of interest put on the warrant and somebody who is passionate about one side or the other that can’t make the meeting says, ‘put that off until I can get there,’ I think that is somewhat of a precedent that we allow that,” O’Neil said.

Others said the topic was worth waiting for a full discussion.

“Something of this caliber, it is not like your normal agenda item,” Staples said. “I feel, get all the parties here, talk about it, have a discussion and not do it twice.”

“I don’t think we can discuss it enough because it is important,” O’Neil responded.

“I would like to hear from the other side,” Bell said. “I kind of agree with (Morton) on that one. I would also like to hear from both sides at the same time so it is a much more productive meeting.”