FREEPORT – A $16.9 million proposal to expand Freeport High School was defeated Tuesday even as $25.8 million Regional School Unit 5 budget passed with ease.

The unofficial results on the expansion proposal from the tri-town voting bloc of Freeport, Durham, and Pownal put the total votes on the school project at 2,202-2,028 against the project, with Pownal, 472-118, and Durham, 828-287, voters overwhelming rejecting the proposal by wide margins.

According to Freeport Town Clerk Tracey Stevens, voters favored the project in Freeport 1,623-902 but ultimately it was not enough.

The expansion plan called for a 31,000-square-foot addition that would have been constructed to replace the industrial arts building on the northwest side of the school.

The new athletic complex, which would have been built behind the high school, would have had an eight-lane track as well as competition and practice spaces for discus, high jump, javelin, long jump, pole vault and shot put. The track and athletic fields also would be open to use by residents of Freeport, Pownal and Durham.

The $25.8 million fiscal 2014 budget for Regional School Unit 5 was approved by an unofficial tally of 2,415-1,717 with Pownal and Durham voters once again rejecting the budget by wide margins.