Scarborough residents are one step closer to voting to decide whether to overhaul schools to make way for a growing number of students.

On Wednesday, the Town Council voted 6-1 to back a School Building Advisory Committee recommendation to bring two questions to a second reading in August. If approved, the questions will appear on the ballot in November.

The first question, if approved, would allow the town to borrow $129.85 million to demolish and rebuild Eight Corners School, as well as add one-story additions to Blue Point and Pleasant Hill schools to replace portable classrooms. The project would also include $3.6 million in additions to Wentworth and $28.65 million in improvements to the middle school, enough to meet space needs for current enrollment. The improvements are estimated to cost the average taxpayer $400 per year.

The total price tag of the project sneaks in under the $130 million ceiling set by the committee.

The new Eight Corners School would serve 380 students, Blue Point School would serve 232 students and Pleasant Hill would serve 224 students after the overhauls. The changes are estimated to increase primary school capacity within the town by 194 students, on par with Scarborough Public School’s projection of an increase of almost 200 K-2 students in the next five years.

The second question, if approved, would authorize $10 million to fund the expansion of Scarborough Middle School to accommodate the expected growth. In a recent committee survey, 63% of respondents either opposed or strongly opposed the deferment of renovations to Wentworth and the middle school.

The question, as well as the additional renovations to the middle school, could only be approved if the larger project in the first question is approved.

At Wednesday’s council meeting, there was discussion about the decision to separate the two questions. The Board of Education combined the two questions that the committee recommended, sending the projected total cost over the $130 million ceiling.

Some councilors were concerned that a higher price tag would decrease the chances of the whole project being approved.

“We want to have a product that’s going to pass,” said councilor Karin Shupe. “I’m concerned that Scarborough taxpayers and voters don’t like large numbers.” In 2023, Scarborough voters rejected a $160 million school project.

Councilor Larry Cain, the vice chair of the advisory committee, said the primary school need is more immediate.

“The middle school is where that enrollment increase hits last,” he said. “If it fails, we have the longest time available to us to pivot on the middle school.”