FARMINGTON — Voters in nine towns Tuesday approved a $64.2 million renovation and addition project at the local high school and technology center by an unofficial vote of 765-243, Assistant Superintendent Sue Pratt said Wednesday.

All towns approved the project that will have the state picking up about $60 million of the cost and the local taxpayers picking up about $3.5 million, Pratt said. Another $683,000 in gifts, grants and fundraising will help cover the cost.

“Seventy-six percent of the total voters were in favor of the project,” she said.

The unofficial tally for each town was:

• Chesterville: 52-25
• Farmington: 272-52
• Industry: 65-26
• New Sharon: 57-38
• New Vineyard: 35-6
• Temple: 36-15
• Vienna: 30- 13
• Weld: 23-15
• Wilton: 195-53

The next step is to work on the final concept design and go to the state Department of Education and state Board of Education with it and work out the final budget details, Pratt said.

Mt. Blue Regional School District Superintendent Mike Cormier has been overseeing the high school project while Pratt has been overseeing the new Mallett School project, which also was approved by voters.

“Everyone is very pleased at the support the community showed in this vote and the great opportunity for the Mt. Blue Regional School District,” Pratt said.

In December, voters approved buying an additional 12.5 acres of land along the Whittier Road for $59,000, if the project at the Mt. Blue High School and Foster Regional Applied Technology Center moved forward.

One purpose of the project is to integrate some of the appropriate vocational programs into the academic areas and to  eliminate the 13 portable classrooms, Cormier previously said.

“We need space to replace the portables and we need space for what we have, and some of the space we do have is inadequate and undersized,” he had said.

New theater and performance spaces and classrooms are intended to become a learning center for students and the community, including Community College classes.

He said the walls in the 40-year-old school have no insulation and the water and sewer systems need upgrading.

Plans are to connect to municipal water and sewer lines. The front section of the school will be heated and cooled by geothermal wells and the back portion will be heated by a wood chip boiler. Water for the school will be solar heated and small wind turbines will be added to the roof.

The alternative energy sources will serve as a teaching tool for students.

Athletic fields will be relocated and upgraded, and tennis courts will be added.

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