OXFORD – Voters at Saturday’s annual town meeting approved a $3.2 million budget but were unable to make the fire chief’s position an appointed post.

About 60 voters swiftly approved the fiscal 2009-10 budget in the meeting held at Oxford Elementary School.

Town Manager Michael Chammings told voters that due to a technicality, they would be unable to act on an article designed to move the fire chief’s position from elected to appointed.

“We legally can’t vote on it at this meeting,” Chammings said. “We have to put it on the next referendum.” He said town attorney Geoffrey Hole said the action can be done simply by placing a question on the next election ballot.

The approved $3.2 million budget reflects a 1.4 percent decrease from last year’s approved budget and includes merit pay increases for employees ranging from zero to 4 percent, depending on performance and money for road repairs. Officials had to make budget decreases in areas such as the vehicle replacement program when building the budget this year.

Officials tried to avoid cutting road repair funds because they said it would mean spending more money down the road.

The budget includes $237,828 for the Fire Department, $203,791 for Rescue and $474,170 for the Police Department.

Voters also approved $232,848 for the transfer station account, $446,283 for the administration account and $393,00 for the capital improvements account which will be used largely for road improvements.

Chammings said last week that the budget was helped this year by the reduction in some major debt and locking into heating fuel at a rate half of what the town paid last year.

Officials were elected at the polls this year for the first time. Previously, they have been nominated from the floor at town meetings.