Preston — Voters soundly rejected a plan to increase the spending level allowed at town meetings, while approving a proposal to purchase a nine-passenger school van during a special town meeting Thursday.

Board of Finance Chairman Norman Gauthier said about two-thirds of the approximately two dozen residents at the town meeting voted against a plan to increase the spending level allowed at town meeting votes from the current $100,000 to $175,000. All purchases of $100,000 or more must be sent to referendum.

The $100,000 limit has been in place since 1995, and the Board of Finance recommended raising the limit. Gauthier spoke in favor of the change, saying town budgets and expenditures have gone up, and this would reduce the number of referendums needed for items such as emergency repairs or major purchases.

Gauthier said those who opposed the measure said they preferred the privacy of a referendum to the show-of-hands or voice votes at town meetings.

Residents approved a second item on the agenda to spend up to $40,000 in unspent funds from other capital projects to purchase a nine-passenger school van.