Norwich ― On Nov. 8, voters here will find a referendum question at the lower right of the ballot on a proposed $385 million bond that would restructure city schools for decades.

The measure calls for consolidating the current seven elementary schools into four new schools that would be built on the grounds of the John B. Stanton, Moriarty Environmental Sciences and Uncas schools and the former site of the Greeneville School. The Teachers Memorial Global Studies Magnet Middle School either would be substantially renovated or replaced.

The Samuel Huntington School would be renovated and converted into the adult education center and administrative offices. The new elementary schools would house preschool through grade five, also eliminating the Early Child Learning Center at Bishop School. Closed buildings would be reused in some way or sold.

Although the bond question asks for $385 million, the city’s total cost would range from $97 million to $153 million, depending on state reimbursement levels.

Without the new schools construction bond, the city would face an estimated $225 million with no state reimbursement just to repair and maintain the current city schools, which were built between 1925 and 1975.

The schools would remain cramped and inadequate and would continue to offer unequal amenities to students in buildings that lack parity, School Building Committee Chairman Mark Bettencourt said.

“When you look at the project verses what happens to us when you do nothing,” Bettencourt said, “that’s where it makes the most sense. No one wants to spend that kind of money, but what happens when you don’t. You have to spend $225 million and then what do you get, seven very old schools that do not meet education needs.”

City officials estimate the tax impact for the first 10 years of the 30-year bond to range from 2.9 mills and 4.6 mills.

Despite the price tag and monumental scope of the project, the fall campaign season has been quiet on the measure. No signs dot the landscape urging voters to “vote yes” or “vote no,” and no political action committees have been set up to promote or campaign against the bond.

The city cannot spend public dollars to promote a referendum issue, but Norwich received state approval to print a large poster of explanatory text for the bond that are placed in each city school, at City Hall and the Norwich Community Development Corp. headquarters at 66 Franklin St.

Two speakers at Monday’s City Council meeting expressed urgency to the council and questioned why city leaders have not embarked on a public information campaign, with sessions at local firehouses and civic events as was done in the past. Resident Brian Kobylarz and former Alderman Samuel Browning pointed to past successful campaigns that won voter support for multimillion-dollar downtown revitalization programs and vital police communications equipment upgrades.

Aldermen, school board members and the School Building Committee attended a workshop meeting Sept. 15 that explained limitations city leaders face in promoting referendum questions, including prohibition of use of city money to promote the bonds.

But that would not prevent political campaigning, Browning told the council Monday.

“Now’s the time,” Browning said for political leaders to support the bond.

“You guys need to do a better job publicizing this if you want it to pass,” Browning said. “Right now, the average voter in Norwich is going to walk in, take a look at it and go, ‘huh?’ This is a real danger.”

Browning said Bettencourt and the School Building Committee have done a lot of work to get to this point but added: “This hasn’t been given the corresponding political push.”

Kobylarz suggested using the new online CitizenLab public input forum to explain the referendum question.

Shiela Hayes, president of the Norwich branch of the NAACP, said its Robertsine Duncan Youth Council have launched its own campaign to promote the referendum. The group printed blue and white fliers and laminated cards stating “VOTE YES FOR OUR CHILDREN” depicting an image of a school building. Beneath the image, the flier states, “Norwich New School Buildings Construction Bond,” with the NAACP branch logos at the bottom.

The youth group members handed out the fliers at the candidate debate the group co-sponsored Wednesday and will ask businesses to post them at local shops. The NAACP also will promote the referendum on social media, Hayes said.

Bettencourt said he plans to do social media promotion as well, including videos with interviews of city and school officials on YouTube.

“I am hoping and will be encouraged if they can get a couple informational pieces on why is this important,” Hayes said. “I understand there may be some limitations on whether they can say, ‘support or not,’ but what is lacking is why is this bond important, why is it on as a referendum this year?”

c.bessette@theday.com