Salem — The Board of Education voted 7-1 to adopt a $10,859,710 budget for the 2016-17 school year at its meeting Thursday night.

It brings a 2.02 percent increase over the 2015-16 budget.

The approved budget is $3,331 more than the original budget proposed by Superintendent Joseph Onofrio II.

The board voted at its Feb. 1 meeting to create a $10,000 enrichment line item by reallocating $3,158 from stipends and adding $6,842 to the budget.

After the board voted in December to keep seventh- and eighth-grade students at Salem School rather than send them to East Lyme Middle School, parents voiced a desire for more enrichment opportunities.

The board also voted at its Feb. 1 meeting to reduce its membership to the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education by $3,158.

A motion by board member George Jackson to reduce the budget by $140,000 to cut unspecified costs and preserve a third first-grade teacher failed.

Jackson was the lone vote against the adopted budget.

Board member Mike Siebert said the board is responsible for determining what is educationally appropriate, and the Board of Finance will determine what is financially appropriate for the town.

The budget will be presented to the Board of Finance at 7 p.m. March 10 at Town Hall.

a.Hutchinson@theday.com

Twitter: @ahutch411