WATERBORO — Selectmen had planned to decide Tuesday whether to ask voters in a referendum Nov. 4 if they wished to establish a charter commission. But an examination of state law by Town Clerk Yvette Murray shows that the town cannot meet the timelines set forth in statutes.

According to the statute, selectmen must first vote to establish a charter commission and pass a second order within 30 days submitting the question to the voters. The state law requires the question go to the voters at a regular election at least 90 days after the second order.

So the matter is on the back burner, at least until June 2015.

Selectmen were contemplating the charter commission referendum because of historically low turnout at Town Meeting.

But selectmen acknowledged at their meeting Tuesday that if voters agreed to a charter commission, the commission elected would review the current charter and make its own decisions about what to present to the voters after they finish their work. That might ”“ or might not ”“ include a change in how Waterboro is governed.

Selectmen first began talking about changing the form of government in response to low turnout soon after the annual June Town Meeting that saw fewer than 1 percent, or about 35, of the town’s 4,708 registered voters, decide on the $5.1 million municipal budget.

Figures supplied by Town Administrator Gary Lamb show 30 turned out in 2013; 73 in 2012, when a new charter was on the ballot; 46 in 2011; and 59 in 2010.