BETHEL — The SAD 44 board voted 11-4 Tuesday night to reject Andover’s offer to pay $68,000 to keep its elementary school open in the coming school year, and later voted 9-6 to ask for $140,000 instead.

The money is in addition to Andover’s $450,000 annual assessment to the district.

Superintendent David Murphy said Andover board members Tim Akers and Keith Smith, and Greenwood representatives Tammy Goodwin and Stacey Sandvoss voted to accept the $68,000 offer.

A motion to ask $140,000 passed 9-6, with Lynne Arizzi of Bethel, Akers, Smith, Deb Webster of Newry, Goodwin, and Sheryl Morgan of Woodstock voting against it.

Murphy said Andover selectmen will have to decide whether to call a special town meeting to try to raise $140,000 before the SAD 44 board meeting April 22.

He said the board has not decided whether to act on closing the school, which has 27 students in grades kindergarten to five.

The SAD 44 board voted two years ago to close the Andover Elementary School because of its declining enrollment and the cost of operating the the nearly 100-year-old building.

The town raised $214,000 to keep it open for 2011-12; and $68,000 for 2012-13.

Susan Merrow, an Andover selectman and chairwoman of the Andover Withdrawal Committee, has said that retaining the school is crucial to the economic and social health of the town.

Residents voted last year to begin the withdrawal process from SAD 44, which also includes Bethel, Greenwood, Newry and Woodstock. The committee and the district are negotiating terms.

Murphy said this week that the district is waiting for a counterproposal from the   committee.

In other matters, the board approved using a district bus to transport fifth-graders to the Shrine Circus in Lewiston on April 13. The annual event is co-sponsored by the Oxford County Shrine Club and the school district.