PENOBSCOT – The school budget for next year showed almost a $10,000 decrease, and that was fine with the town’s voters.

They approved the budget Tuesday during the second session of the annual town meeting.

The $1,412,138 budget reflects a decrease of $9,593 from the current school budget, according to Superintendent Mark Hurvitt.

Major changes in the budget include converting a full-time special education position to half-time and eliminating a technology center consultant and including those duties in the seventh- to eighth-grade teacher job description.

Tuesday’s session was the second half of the town meeting. In the previous session, voters approved the municipal budget, adding funds to two warrant articles as recommended by the selectmen.

The selectmen initially requested $13,000 for repairs to the town hall roof. According to Selectman Bing Gross, bids for that project came in much higher than that figure, and, from the floor, the selectmen recommended adding $2,000 to the warrant article for a total of $15,000. Residents agreed to the increase.

The selectmen also proposed adding $3,500 to the account for appraisals and audits. The increase represents increased costs for a new town appraiser and for the town audit which must meet new state requirements.

In elections, incumbent Stanley Shorey retained his seat on the Board of Selectmen, defeating challenger Peter Coleman in the only contested race this year.