BRUNSWICK

Town councilors allocated nearly $175,000 Monday to plan for expansion and renovation of two town schools.

The decision was unanimous.

Town Manager Gary Brown said the estimated $21 million expansions of Coffin Elementary and Brunswick Junior High schools would add $2 million per year in debt service to the town’s budget for about 20 years. Payments on the debt service would add about 7 percent to annual property tax bills, or roughly $265 a year based on a $150,000 valuation.

Although the project yet is only a series of estimates and preliminary designs, council chairwoman Joanne King said she doesn’t oppose the projects but wants people to know what they could be getting into.

“I want people who have been advocating for us to give the $174,000 to understand that, if all this moves forward, you’re talking about $21 million,” King said. “Not to cause you problems, but this is big stuff we’re talking about, and people need to get engaged.”

School board and facilities committee member Matt Corey acknowledged the expense, but said he characterized the projects as the town’s last large infrastructure projects.

“Between the police station and the fire station and moving (the town offices) to the McLellan building, there are really no major infrastructure building-type things, really, for the next 20 or 25 years,” Corey said.

Regarding another frequent topic, councilors also unanimously approved a property exchange between the town and Brunswick Development Corp. that will occur when the new police station at Stanwood and Pleasant streets is finished, in 2013; and municipal offices are relocated to the McLellan building, on Union Street, in 2014.

Councilors also adopted 18 new drug-free safe zones suggested by police to provide stiffer penalties for illicit transactions within 1,000 feet of those areas. A similar list of areas was adopted in 2009.

“I can’t promise you that the signs are a deterrent, because we have made several arrests in these areas,” Deputy Chief Marc Hagan said. “What I can tell you is, if they are convicted of enhanced crimes, they are off the streets for a longer period.”

Perryman Village — which is south of Cook’s Corner off Route 24 and managed by Brunswick Housing Authority — was left out of the order because of missing paperwork and uncertainty regarding the town’s authority to superimpose such a zone upon it.

A resident of the development requested it be added to the list, Hagan said. Councilors said they would look into the issue and address the request in the future.

Also Monday, councilors set a public hearing for 7 p.m., Dec. 3, to discuss a proposed tax increment financing district for Molnlycke Health Care’s $14 million, 79,000- square-foot production facility under construction at Brunswick Landing.

jtleonard@timesrecord.com