HOLDEN – During a public hearing this week on the proposed town charter, residents shared views on what they want – and don’t want – for their town in the years to come.

Though all Holden Charter Commission’s meetings have been open to the public, the panel had received little in the way of feedback from residents until Tuesday night, when members received nearly two hour’s worth.

Some of the issues residents and charter commission members grappled with were whether Holden should increase the number of municipal officers from five to seven, whether moving local elections from the traditional June date to November would increase voter participation and whether the community ought to reconsider term limits, a notion soundly rejected at a town meeting a few years ago.

Though these topics generated lively debate, they were not resolved during the hearing, which was held to give residents the opportunity to comment, ask questions and make suggestions in regard to the charter.

The proposed charter, which outlines the powers and duties of elected officials, the town manager and the town meeting, is Holden’s first. It is the product of more than half a year of work by a nine-member panel led by Dr. Edward David, a former selectmen.

According to David, the next step will involve considering and possibly incorporating some of residents’ suggestions and recommendations into the charter. The charter then will undergo a final proofreading and a legal review by the town attorney. Town Manager Larry Varisco said the charter could be put before voters for adoption as early as the November general election.

Holden, which now has a selectmen-town meeting-town manager form of government, is considering a “mixed” form of government. It would retain some of the traditions that continue to serve it well, the annual town meeting chief among them. The town would, however, replace its selectmen with town councilors who would have essentially the same legal authority as selectmen have under state law, but would be granted additional authority in such areas as development.

Some of the feedback provided by the 10 or so people who turned out for the hearing dealt with technical and legal considerations. Joel Dearborn, a Holden selectman who practices municipal law in Brewer, and SAD 63 Board Chairman Donald Varnum offered page-by-page reviews of the 23-page document.

Other comments pertained to more philosophical matters, economic development and the future of the town chief among them. The prevailing sentiment among the residents participating in the hearing was a desire to see Holden hold onto its small town character.

Like many of the smaller communities in the Greater Bangor area, Holden is a town in transition. It has evolved from a chiefly residential and agricultural community to more of a bedroom community to the nearby cities of Bangor and Brewer.

Recent years also have brought growth in the town’s commercial base. High-end furniture showrooms, mobile home dealerships and gasoline stations are some businesses that have sprung up on Route 1A, Holden’s main road and commercial corridor. The town also recently built its first business park.

Some of the changes in store for nearby Brewer, just up Route 1A, have not gone unnoticed in Holden. In recent months, Eastern Maine Healthcare announced plans for a healthcare park on Whiting Hill and Wal-Mart, plans for a 24-hour Supercenter. The projects are expected to increase traffic on Route 1A.

Though no one opposed small-scale commercial developments, residents at the hearing expressed concern about “big-box” projects, such as Wal-Mart. As one resident put it, “I don’t want Holden to become another Brewer. I want Holden to stay Holden.”