SUNDERLAND —Residents voted unanimously at Town Meeting to adopt an amended budget with a $123,886 increase from the current year.

Voters at Sunderland Elementary School on Friday approved a $7,228,146 budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, with notable adjusted figures in the Police Department and town library categories following lengthy discussions.

Residents adopted a $420,228 police budget that includes a $7,000 salary increase for the chief that was approved via amendment. They also agreed to a $2,649 increase among the Sunderland Public Library’s support staff members and a $923 cost-of-living increase for Director Katherine Hand.

Sunderland Finance Committee member Bruce Bennett explained the suggested extra $2,000 bump would bring the chief’s annual salary to $72,000 beginning July 1. It is currently $65,000. Sunderland needs to replaced the retired Chief Jeffrey Gilbert and Bennett explained a $72,000 salary is much more competitive.

A nine-member police chief search committee reviewed a pool of candidates and recommended three to the Select Board for more consideration.

Select Board Chairman Scott Bergeron said he applauds the Finance Committee, but believed an increase to the Select Board-recommended $70,000 was adequate.

Laurie Salame, who said she was a member of the search committee, encouraged the crowd to vote for the amended figures, as many good candidates dropped out when they learned about the salary. She called it a minor increase.

Mike Wozniakewicz, who said he was also on the search committee, said Sunderland is the fifth-largest town in Franklin County and pays the lowest salary for a full-time police chief.

The Fire Department budget of $274,764 is down $42,366 from this year. Town Administrator Sherry Patch previously said this is the result of a drop in Sunderland’s assessment for South County Emergency Medical Services. Patch said Deerfield, the fiscal agent for the regional ambulance service, used some retained earnings to lower Sunderland’s assessment. The ambulance serves Sunderland, Deerfield and Whately.

In other items, there was an increase of $5,260 under the “elections & registrar” category, which Patch has said is needed for the Nov. 8 presidential election.