PARIS – District voters approved a new elementary school for Paris on Tuesday, meaning construction on the $12 million project could start as early as July 2005.

“People know that we’re building a school that’s probably going to be used for 75 or 100 years,” SAD 17 Superintendent Mark Eastman said after learning the project had passed.

The next step is for the district to complete the design of the school, then secure funding through the state.

“Certainly, with the strong local support, it will help a great deal,” Eastman said.

The town of Paris had the largest turnout for the special election, with 389 voters casting ballots.

“Usually, you know, it’s not a big turnout,” Paris Town Clerk Betty Larson said Tuesday night. She had expected about 150 voters.

Paris voters approved the project, 316-73. On the question of spending additional funds for air-conditioned classrooms, Paris voted 292-97 in favor.

Norway had a solid turnout as well, with 200 voters showing up at the polls and four voting by absentee ballot, according to Town Clerk Shirley Boyce.

The school project passed in Norway, 161-42, she said, and the air-conditioning question passed 146-57.

The towns of Oxford, West Paris, Otisfield, Hebron, Harrison and Waterford, which are also part of SAD 17, also voted on the school questions.

The school and air-conditioning questions passed in every town.

The state is expected to pay $11.6 million, or about 95 percent, of the school cost. District taxpayers have now committed to paying about 5 percent of the cost. With the classroom air conditioning, that comes to $607,000.

Plans call for the 450-student school to be built on High Street between Hathaway Road and Meadow Lane in Paris. Construction could be completed by December 2006, Eastman has said.

The school wasn’t the only thing on the minds of some voters.

Richard Bean of Otisfield pointed out that the Palesky tax-cap proposal is on the November ballot.

“I wonder how many people are planning to vote yes’ in November to the tax cap and voted yes’ today,” he said as he cast his ballot Tuesday. “They don’t mix.”