Voters overwhelmingly reject Maine school construction plan

SABATTUS, Maine (WMTW) -Voters in Litchfield, Sabattus and Wales have overwhelmingly rejected a plan to fund a school construction project.

The special referendum on Tuesday asked voters in those towns if they wanted to allow RSU 4 to issue bonds or notes for an amount not to exceed $31,687,216.

The money would have been used to build and equip a new school building connected to Oak Hill Middle School in Sabattus.

The two-building campus would have served grades two through eight, and Sabattus Primary School and the Libby Tozier School would have closed.

The final vote total between the three towns was 219 in favor and 2,209 opposed.

That is roughly 91% of votes against the project.

School officials promoting the project had said it would create more modern learning spaces, provide the same educational experiences for students in all grade levels,

reduce district operating costs and reduce the number of times that students need to transfer between buildings.