Groton — The Town Council voted 7-0 Tuesday, with two members absent, to go forward with sending the school construction project to referendum.

Councilors said their support was contingent on the state providing a potential 72 percent of the total $195.6 million project cost.

If the state agrees, the three schools would cost Groton taxpayers $55 million.

“I completely support this plan,” Councilor Deborah Peruzzotti said, adding that it sounds "like we do have the state on our side.”

“I think we would have to be crazy not to take advantage of this,” Councilor Karen Morton said.

The construction plan would build one new middle school and two new elementary schools to replace aging buildings and address an ongoing racial imbalance problem.

Three older elementary schools would close.

Councilors Dean Antipas and Diane Barber said they are concerned about what Groton would do with the empty school buildings.

d.straszheim@theday.com