Groton — Voters on Tuesday approved a budget of $4.6 million for the coming fiscal year for Poquonnock Bridge Fire District, and elected a new district board president.

Residents elected Kenneth Richards III, a captain at Westerly Ambulance and the son of the Old Mystic fire chief, to fill one of three seats up for re-election on the board. Current board members Ron Yuhas and Susan Aguiar were elected to continue serving on the nine-member board's other two seats.

Voters then elected Richards the board president, replacing Alan Ackley in the post, although Ackley will remain on the board as a member.

“I think it’s good for change,” Ackley said after the meeting, congratulating Richards.

Sixty-one eligible voters attended, along with about a dozen others, including firefighters laid off during last year's financial crisis in the district.

Voters commented on the orderliness of Tuesday's meeting.

"Everything is going so much better," said Helen Rush, a resident who attended in prior years. "Really, truly, it's so improved.

During previous meetings, voters crammed the meeting hall, sometimes yelling or walking out.

“It’s sedate. It’s not packed,” said Larry Kern of Buddington Road.

But Kern was one of two voters who questioned how the budget vote was handled.

After registering prior to the meeting to verify their eligibility, voters were asked to write their names and addresses below their "yes" or "no" vote on the budget ballot itself. Kern said he found this “highly irregular.”

“I’m boggled,” he said. “It seems peculiar. Historically, the idea of a secret ballot is part of democracy.”

Cindy Baril, the wife of a firefighter, refused to vote on principle and said she felt deprived of her right to vote.

“I’ve never voted anywhere, where I put my name and address next to my vote,” she said.

But Michael E. Satti, attorney for the board, said the procedure was needed to ensure that verified taxpayers were casting ballots rather than just anyone in the room. He said all votes would be kept confidential.

The budget passed 51-6 with one abstention. One vote was cast but not counted because it lacked the name and address. Collectors of the ballots included a district board member and member of the district staff.

d.straszheim@theday.com

Twitter: @DStraszheim