The Friday Harbor Town Council’s last scheduled meetings of the year will arguably be its most significant of the year.

At its noon meeting Thursday, the Town Council will honor town employees for five, 10, 15, and 20 or more years of service; vote on whether to rezone 1021, 1023, 1025 and 1027 Guard St. from Professional Service to Light Industrial; amend the town’s 2009 budget to reflect adjusted revenues and expenses; declare surplus property; and discuss the proposed purchase of property at 150 Nichols St. to site, among other things, a permanent farmers market.

At its 5:30 p.m. meeting, the Town Council is expected to adopt the 2010 budget — a spending plan of almost $10 million.

Following budget approval will be contracts with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement and dispatch services; increases in water rates (2.5 percent), sewer rates (5.5 percent), and stormwater rates (4 percent); and ordinances setting wages for town employees and salaries for officials.

Mayor David F. Jones and Councilmember Liz Illg will be recognized for their service.

Then, Town Clerk Amy Taylor will administer the oath of office for newly elected and re-elected town officials.

Carrie Lacher will be sworn in as mayor — the first woman to hold the job in the town’s 100-year history.

Anna Maria de Freitas will be sworn in as a council member. She was appointed in 2008 to a council vacancy and ran unopposed in November for a full term.

Felix Menjivar will be sworn in as a council member, succeeding Illg, who opted not to seek a second term.

Noel Monin, who was appointed to a council vacancy in June, will be sworn in to complete a term that expires Dec. 31, 2011.

While Lacher, Menjivar and Monin will be sworn in on Thursday, their terms don’t begin until Jan. 1.