All warrant articles passed at Hopkinton’s annual school district meeting on Saturday, except for one — the highly debated transition to the split form of self-government known as SB2.

“I think that our school district budget meeting is one of the best examples of true participatory democracy, and it is a fabulous antidote to all of us living in a world of our own echo chamber of people who agree with us all the time,” resident Anne Chehade said about the importance of traditional town meetings.

After an hour of discussions on the merits and drawbacks of each form of government at the Hopkinton Middle High School gymnasium, filled with at least 600 voters — a turnout nearly double the previous year — SB2 was defeated in a secret ballot vote. Of the ballots cast, 317 voters sided with SB2, while 293 opposed it. For the article to pass, a three-fifths majority vote is required and this was not met.

For those opposing traditional town meetings, which may not be accessible to everyone because of physical or mental disabilities or conflicting commitments, these meetings felt like a form of voter suppression, they said.

“I think that SB2 allows us all to vote, whatever your situation is,” said Tricia Lambert. “I somehow get the feeling by attending these meetings is that they are against it because they are afraid we’re going to have the power to vote and every person is going to have a vote.”

The school board unanimously opposed moving to the SB2 format.

Without much discussion of the actual dollar figures, the $26.6 million operating school district budget was approved 231-117 by secret ballot. The key budget drivers for this year were salaries and benefits, transportation and special education.

The approval of warrant articles at the meeting, including a $275,770 contribution to the educational support staff contract providing dental plans, will result in a combined school tax increase of $2.27, which is about $681 more per year for a $300,000 home.

“Providing dental insurance for HESS would create equity and all of our association employees,” said school board member Jim O’Brien. “The board felt that this was really critical and you all know that dental health is good health care, and we want our employees to have the best health.”

Voters also approved to raise $150,000 from taxes and add another $200,000 from the surplus fund balance to the building repair and maintenance fund.

An amendment was made to reduce the amount to be raised by taxation to $90,000, but it failed.

Throughout the meeting, several voters came up to the microphone to express their dissatisfaction with the presentation and availability of information.

Loren Clement, a resident who is a regular to school board meetings, said that the line-by-line budget proposal is not in an accessible format for voters to read.

Clement asked the board to explain why they won’t print more documents and make them available to voters “when vested stakeholders come in and are willing to pay for 25 sheets of paper so they can see the amendments and make the highlights like I’ve done in the last three years.”

The annual meeting also celebrated O’Brien’s 17 years of service to Hopkinton as both a select board and a school board member, including one year when he served on both boards. His first year serving the town was as a select board member in 2008.

“I don’t know if, in 2008, Jim quite knew what he was in for, but we can agree that his thoughtful and engaged service has made Hopkinton a better place,” said, School Board Chair Andrea Folsom as the audience applauded him.

“Thank you, Jim, for your work and know that we wish you all the best!”