FREEPORT – Proponents of a renovation and expansion of Freeport High School are looking at other options following the June 11 election, when Regional School Unit 5 voters narrowly defeated a proposed $16.9 million bond that would have added a number of new classrooms and an outdoor track and athletic field.

According to RSU 5 Superintendent Shannon Welsh, the school board voted on June 12 to explore contingency plans to possibly bring the issue come before voters in November.

“We wanted to look at things like separating out the two components of the plan,” said Welsh. “Essentially, the facilities project would be one vote and the fields project would be another. Another option is looking at the overall cost of the facility and see if it could be reduced. A third option is looking at what could be done with the local budget as in delaying some projects in other schools in order to address the needs at the high school.”

The school budget could also be increased to bring in modular classrooms, said Welsh. In the meantime, the school district will commission a poll to find out which components of the project are considered necessary. The poll would be conducted by an independent agency and capped at a cost of $5,000, said Welsh.

“The results of the poll will be discussed at our first board meeting on Sept. 5,” said Welsh. “If any of the options are viable, the board would hold a special meeting on Sept. 18 to decide if the issue should be brought before voters again. We want to hear exactly what people are thinking. It’s important that people don’t think that it’s a done deal that it will come back to a vote.”

The results on the expansion proposal from Freeport, Durham, and Pownal put the total votes on the school project at 2,202 against and 2,028 in favor. In Freeport, 1,623 were in favor, 902 opposed. Pownal trounced the bond, 472 to 118, and it was the same story in Durham, where 828 were against and 287 in favor.

Pownal and Durham voters also rejected the $25.8 million fiscal 2014 budget.

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 school budget was approved, 2,415-1,717, with Freeport favoring it by a wide margin, 1,833 to 620. It was the opposite story in Durham, with 701 against and 399 in favor; and Pownal, with 395 against and 182 in favor.

Voters cast their ballots in the Freeport High School gymnasium June 11 for the Regional School Unit 5 budget and a $16.9 million expansion and renovation proposal. The expansion was narrowly defeated, while the budget passed with relative ease, despite being rejected by voters of Pownal and Durham.