CHESHIRE — Despite lengthy debates on the majority of articles, all 35 were approved at the annual town meeting.

77 registered voters and seven guests attended the meeting Monday at the Cheshire Community House, according to Town Clerk Whitney Flynn. Voters made their voices heard, battling the scorching heat inside the Community House cafeteria during a nearly three-hour meeting.

Throughout the meeting, voters discussed line items for several budget articles, ultimately approving all of them. That included the town’s operating budget of $8.5 million, an increase of 5.2 percent.

Two budgets that had lengthy debates were the town’s portion of the Hoosac Valley Regional School District’s operating budget and the police department’s budget. For the school budget of $3.4 million, an increase of 6.1 percent, some residents voiced their frustration with the increase but voted to approve it.

For the police budget, residents raised concerns about the police chief's salary and the full-time officer wages. Some residents highlighted that the chief’s salary of $110,000, an increase of 25.6 percent, was high.

The town officially launched a search for a new police chief in May, months after former Chief Michael Alibozek resigned following his arrest in a human trafficking sting operation.

Alibozek has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of soliciting sex for a fee after he was arrested in the parking lot of Hoosac Valley High School on Nov. 6. He was initially placed on paid administrative leave and had his badge and firearm revoked before being moved to unpaid leave. He later resigned.

Retired police chief Tim Garner stepped in on an interim and administrative basis until the town could hire a permanent replacement.

The salary range for the position is $95,000 to $110,000. The chief’s salary is budgeted for $110,000 to give the town flexibility in the hiring process and to attract quality candidates.

The police chief's salary went to a count and passed 61-6. The full-time officer wages of $190,506 and the rest of the line items related to the department’s budget were also approved.

Other articles approved by town voters include: