Norwich — For the second time in recent months, an extensive $144 million renovation plan for the city's aging schools is in jeopardy before the public has a chance to weigh in on the project that would transform the school district.

The City Council on Monday came close to defeating a resolution that would authorize a bond ordinance be prepared with the goal of placing the project on the November ballot for a referendum.

Led by Council President Pro Tempore Peter Nystrom, aldermen started to criticize the project that would completely renovate four elementary schools, keep the recently renovated Kelly Middle School and close four other buildings.

Alderman Gerald Martin, who also was prepared to vote against the plan, suggested tabling the issue to hear more information rather than going ahead with what appeared to be a vote to kill the plan. The council voted 5-1, with Alderwoman Joanne Philbrick opposing, to table the issue.

The Board of Education initially rejected the package in January in a 4-4 vote before reconsidering it and approving the plan, 7-2, in early March.

The total project cost was calculated at $144.5 million, with a local share borne by Norwich taxpayers at $57.6 million, if current state reimbursement formulas remain intact.

The plan calls for renovating-as-new four schools, the Thomas Mahan School, John Moriarty, Teachers' Memorial and John B. Stanton schools, for use as elementary schools. The Kelly Middle School would remain for grades seven and eight. Although the consultants hired to design the plan did not specifically address moving central offices, they suggested the Samuel Huntington School could double as a community center and central offices.

The project was proposed as a long-term solution to the current sprawling district's problems with maintaining its many aging buildings.

Nystrom and Alderman William Nash questioned the selection of the four schools to be renovated, noting that most were geographically in the western and northern areas of the city, leaving the East Side, Greeneville and Taftville children with longer bus rides. Nystrom also questioned why the high-performing Huntington School would be turned into offices.

Nash also questioned why Mahan School, which sits on what he called the largest, most commercially viable piece of city property, would be retained as a school rather than sold.

Superintendent Abby Dolliver, a member of the now disbanded School Facilities Review Committee, did not address the council Monday but said she will prepare a fact sheet for the City Council and the public “so that people know the benefits, the obstacles and why this would be important for the community as a long-term project.”

Dolliver said the buildings chosen were based on available expansion space, and Huntington School was not considered because it has no room for expansion.

The entire project came forward as a result of annual budget fights; another budget battle is in the works this year. Norwich closed two elementary schools and converted a third into a preschool center in recent years in last-minute budget cuts.

School Business Administrator Athena Nagel also will present a sheet on “the cost of doing nothing." Those costs include an estimated $350,000 per year in loss of energy savings in renovated buildings, $10.4 million in roof replacements needed districtwide, $1 million for floor replacements in several buildings and $131,000 to replace doors on several buildings.

The plan also considered the potential commercial market value for the Mahan School and suggested that Uncas School nearby could be saved and renovated instead of Mahan.

c.bessette@theday.com