Stonington -- The borough Charter Revision Commission has sent its recommended list of changes to the Board of Warden and Burgesses.

The commission made the decision on Saturday after it held a public hearing on the proposed changes.

The commission is recommending that voters elect four burgesses instead of six and that the group choose a senior burgess who would be in charge in the event the warden is out of town or incapacitated.

The charter recommendations also call for eliminating the borough tax collector’s position, as those duties are handled by the town’s tax collector’s office. The clerk treasurer and tax assessor no longer would be elected positions but the warden and burgesses would appoint people to serve in those capacities.

The commission also is recommending that the Board of Warden and Burgesses appoint a fire chief and that it confirm all officers selected by the fire department. Currently, the volunteer firefighters choose a chief who then is confirmed by the warden and burgesses.

State law now spells out the procedure for bringing the proposed charter changes to a vote by borough residents. The Warden and Burgesses must now hold its last public hearing within 45 days of getting the commission’s report. The Warden and Burgesses may then recommend changes to the commission’s recommendations. If they do, the commission and board must confer. The commission can either amend the recommendations in its report or reject the recommendations.

The commission must then finalize its report.

Within 15 days of receiving the commission’s final report, the Warden and Burgesses must either approve it and send the recommendations to a referendum vote or reject it. Residents may file a petition to send the recommendations to a referendum vote if they are rejected by the board.

The referendum vote could be held at either a regular election such as this November’s election or at a special election.

The road to the charter revision process began in the summer of 2016, when Warden Jeff Callahan warned that it was getting increasingly difficult to find the 30 people needed to not only run for various elected positions but fill seats on appointed boards.