By Joe BarkerRecord Staff WriterBefore putting the issue of planning and zoning up for vote, Marthasville will attempt to educate voters first.Marthasville’s Board of Aldermen voted 3-0 at the Oct. 24 meeting to have a town hall forum to discuss what planning and zoning would mean for the town prior to making any decisions about putting the issue on the ballot for a future election.Alderman Nick Lange was absent.Alderman Pam Jensen proposed having a town hall type meeting where residents could come and get informed on the subject and clear up any potential questions. She suggested getting the Boonslick Regional Planning Commission involved to help educate residents.The rest of the board agreed.With the holiday season approaching, the board agreed to wait until early 2016 to schedule the meeting.The issue was brought up after Mayor David Lange again raised the issue of asking voters to decide yes or no to establish a planning and zoning commission for the town. Lange first broached the subject at the September meeting.The city recently finished a comprehensive plan and in July met with Boonslick Regional Planning Commission to discuss the next steps toward establishing its own planning and zoning commission. At that meeting the board agreed to look for possible members for the commission and appeals board.In September Lange said he thinks Marthasville needs building regulations, but it might be in the best interest to appease everyone by putting the issue of planning and zoning up to vote.Lange reiterated that stance again Wednesday night.“I’m still of the opinion we should put it on the ballot,” he said.Lange said he was in the process of doing some research to figure out what it would cost to have it on the ballot for a future election. He attempted to move forward with that plan but met resistance.Resident Becky Adams interrupted the meeting and spoke out against a public vote. Adams said she didn’t think it was a simple yes or no issue. She said she worried that oversimplification might cause more confusion.“I don’t think it’s a cut and dry issue,” she said.Jensen agreed with Adams. Echoing her own September comments, Jensen said the issue isn’t “black and white.” She said she feared people would vote against the plan without knowing what it truly represents.“It can be a good thing,” she said. “We have a lot of problems from no planning — a lot of problems.”Jensen said planning and zoning would be better for the future of the community and the best way to show that is to inform the residents. She said she wanted people to know the planning an zoning guidelines will be tailored to Marthasville.“We want something that’s going to help guide the growth, but we don’t want to interfere with our country living,” she said.After debating when to hold the meeting and what exactly to call the meeting, the board agreed to wait and come back to the issue early in 2016.Marthasville