GORHAM – Gorham town councilors Tuesday postponed a decision to loan $75,000 to school officials to jumpstart planning for a multi-million dollar upgrade of the town’s high school, to be paid entirely by local taxpayers.

The council, in a unanimous 5-0 vote (Chairman Philip Gagnon and Councilor Suzanne Phillips absent), delayed approving the money requested until after first meeting in a workshop with school officials to learn details about renovating and expanding the school. But, no date was set Tuesday for a workshop.

The proposed high school project could cost in the $11 million range and would require Gorham taxpayers’ approval in a referendum.

“We’re being asked to pay 100 percent of the bill,” said Michael Phinney, council vice chairman who chaired Tuesday’s meeting.

A new Gorham High School opened in 1959 and was renovated in 1995 for about 675 students, but now has 851 enrolled. School officials say the school is too small, and have cited needs that include an expanded cafeteria, additional classrooms and locker room space, relocating the main office for improved security, expanded parking and a new turf field.

“I’m concerned with add-ons,” said Town Councilor Matthew Robinson, who indicated he favors good classrooms, but said he would not support a turf field referendum previously rejected by voters.

A school building committee for the high school project was approved in December. School officials hope to ask voters for their approval in the November municipal election. Placing a referendum on the ballot would require approval by the Town Council.

The School Committee, according to Tuesday’s council agenda, requested the $75,000 in a letter from Superintendent Ted Sharp. Tuesday’s agenda classified the money as an interest-free loan.

Resident James Means of Beatrice Drive said the $75,000 would really be a grant and not a loan. Citing a struggling economy, Means advocated the council attach conditions to ensure that the school department received proposals for the project from three architectural firms.

“I urge you to attach some strings to this grant,” Means said.

The $75,000 would be appropriated from the town’s capital project reserve account and would have to be repaid from proceeds of bonds for the renovation and expansion.

But Robinson said he had concerns about going to referendum without state funding. He said the $75,000 would not be returned to the town’s account, if the referendum failed.

Councilor Shonn Moulton said the project would not go forward without “this seed money.”

Kyle Currier, chairwoman of the School Committee, urged the council’s support for the upfront money so the school department could move forward with the project.

“Security is at the forefront,” Currier said.

“I agree we need a secure facility,” said Robinson, but he suggested security could begin with school officials correcting parking violations by high school faculty and students.

With an eye on expanding and renovating the high school, Gorham already has invested a substantial sum. The town last year spent $155,000 for a house on a less than half-acre site at 55 Morrill Ave. that is adjacent to the high school, at 41 Morrill Ave.

In other action this week, the town council heard and saw plans for a Cumberland Farms store proposed in South Gorham. The proposal needs a zoning amendment. The council, voting 5-0, sent the request from Cumberland Farms to amend the town’s contract zone with Hans Hansen at his site off County Road in South Gorham to the Planning Board for a public hearing and its recommendation.

The proposed store will also require a site plan review by the Planning Board.

Tom Greer of Pinkham and Greer Consulting Engineers, along with Manny Paiva, Cumberland Farms senior planning project manager, presented the plans Tuesday. Contract zone issues that have arisen included the sign and the plan for parking and gas pumps located in front of the store.

But the Cumberland Farms plan presented Tuesday included locating the store further back from the road than originally proposed and increasing the visual buffering to 70 feet with a variety of trees and shrubs. Landscaping would include underground irrigation.

Phinney praised the redesign work. He said he didn’t want the area to look like a strip mall to Scarborough.

“Its another nice building for the town of Gorham,” Robinson said. “I’m in favor of it.”

Town Councilor John Pressey said he would rather see pumps on sides or back of the store. “We had standards set up and you guys didn’t want to go with standards,” Pressey told Greer and Paiva. “That bothers me.”

No one from the public spoke about the Cumberland Farms proposal.