FARMINGTON – It appears that most people living in SAD 9 towns favor renovating and expanding Mt. Blue High School and the Foster Career Center.

A straw poll taken Wednesday night found the 32 people attending a meeting on the topic unanimously in favor of buying 12 acres of adjacent land to support the renovation and addition and improvements to the site to modernize the facilities. The school building dates to 1969, and Lyndon Keck, a principal with PDT Architects, explained the plan to expand the site.

“We talked about the spaces needed for the programs here,” he said. While floor plans weren’t shared at the meeting, Keck said they would be available in about two months when there is a clearer idea of what the facilities will look like.

The first decision made was to stay on the existing site, for a savings of $6 to $8 million. The facilities sit on about 60 acres.

“What we found is that it’s a lot of internal wetlands with vernal pools,” said Keck. “There were a lot of restrictions on this parcel.”

About 50 percent of the land is usable, hence the need for more acreage for a larger facility. PDT also studied the athletic fields and found they were inadequate compared to modern playing surfaces.

“The condition of the fields is not very good,” Keck said. “These fields have really been used a lot over 40 years.”

The number of fields will be expanded to six with grass turf, with a practice field connected by a trail and new tennis courts. A track will be built, and there will be new parking, driveways, and bus drop-off loops around the proposed facility.

Municipal sewer and water will be added and a storm water management system will include dry and wet retention ponds. The state Department of Environmental Protection has stated that it wants to see the school connected to a sewer system.

Pumping stations for water and sewer would be located on school property.

Keck said PDT hopes to preserve one-half to two-thirds of the existing school building. More of the Foster Career Center would be included in the renovated structure.

Superintendent Michael Cormier, noting the state’s dire financial condition, said the project has been pushed back a year.

Cormier estimated the state would fund 90 to 95 percent of the project costs – $6.5 million to $8.5 million. “There will be some things that will be local cost,” he said.

He referred to the addition and renovation as an “incredible opportunity for the school system.”