WELD – The day has come.

Voters will decide Tuesday if they want to keep the elementary school open and pay extra to run it or close it and send younger schoolchildren to Wilton schools about 14 miles away.

SAD 9 directors voted this spring to close the school, but Weld voters have the final say. Older school children attend the Mt. Blue middle and high schools in Farmington.

That secret ballot vote takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. Aug. 12 at the town office.

The state calculated it would cost $229,363.74 to operate the school with the taxpayers in Weld picking up that cost in addition to their share of SAD 9 costs. But after an isolated-small-school adjustment of $126,272.23 is factored in, the cost to taxpayers would be about $103,092 in addition to the town’s share of SAD 9 costs.

During public meetings on the issue, reaction has been mixed, with some in favor of closing the school not only for financial reasons but also to provide broader programs for students, while others like having their schoolchildren closer to home and consider the school a vital part of the community.

It is projected there will be 13 students in grades three through six at the school this year, if voters reject closing it. There are no students enrolled to be in kindergarten through second grade this year, but if some turn up on opening day, those students will automatically be bused to Cushing School in Wilton.

Student enrollment is projected to be nine students in 2012-13.

If the voters decide to close the school, children could see an extra 20 minutes added to their current 25-minute ride, if they live on the outskirts. That would mean a total of about 45 minutes on the bus each way.

Superintendent Mike Cormier told residents at a public hearing that 45 minutes of travel time puts students in line with those riding the bus in other towns in the district. Some students in Industry have an hour ride both ways, he said.

Already, Weld elementary students travel on Wednesdays to Wilton schools for library, gym and computer lab.

If voters decide to close the school, Weld residents would then have to decide if they want to accept the school, though it is believed that the town still owns it.

SAD 9 has invested in the school, but there are still some issues that would come with it, including asbestos tiles that are encapsulated.

All employees that stayed with the district would have other jobs in the system, Cormier told residents in July.