SOUTHAMPTON — Voters rejected two tax overrides at Tuesday’s town election that would have provided funds to pay for preconstruction costs for a new public safety complex, and to cover unexpected costs at Norris Elementary School.

The ballot question requesting a $3.2 million debt exclusion for the public safety complex failed by a wide margin of 1,390 against to 518 in favor, according to the town clerk. If this measure had passed, an additional $24.7 million would have later been requested for construction costs, leading to a project total of about $28 million before interest — ultimately an estimated $47 million over 30 years with interest, according to town officials.

Meantime, the question requesting an $897,000 general tax override for the Norris School was much closer, with 998 voting against to 926 in favor.

The election drew about 38% of registered voters in town.

Without the Norris School override, the school risks losing eight full-time staff members and reductions in hours equivalent to the loss of an additional two full-time staff members. As it currently stands, this could mean the loss of two classroom teachers, a specials teacher, a special education teacher, an interventionist and three support staff workers.

Vito Perrone, superintendent of the Hampshire Regional School District, said that school officials are working to ensure that whatever cuts are ultimately made will be “least impactful” to the students.

“In the end, we just have to respond to what comes from the ballot question and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.

Norris Elementary School Committee Chair Jon Lumbra did not immediately respond for comment on the budget and potential staff cuts.

The town’s base budget will remain in place without the school override, according to town officials.

With the failure of the debt exclusion for the public safety complex — which was pushed forward at a special Town Meeting in March — town plans for the project are stalled for now. The new complex is intended to replace the current fire station, built out of a schoolhouse constructed in 1863, and the current police station, which operated out of the former town hall building constructed in 1904. In previous interviews with the Gazette, town residents acknowledged a need for something to be done about these aging town facilities, but balked at the new project’s price tag.

Southampton resident Diane Jefferis’ first reaction to the results of the safety complex vote was “Hallelujah.” She said she was “thrilled” that taxpayers wouldn’t have to worry about the added expense.

“It’s not that we didn’t want a complex,” she said. “We do need one, just at a drastically reduced price.”

Select Board Chair Chris Fowles said she was “very surprised” to find that both ballot questions failed. For the public safety complex vote, she said that it was “very disappointing to have that level of defeat,” and she believes there was an element of “misunderstanding” that played into public perceptions of the project.

Right now, she said she has “no idea” how moving forward with the project will unfold. However, she said, “we certainly do need a new public safety building, there’s no doubt about that.”

“Where we go from here, I’m not quite sure,” Town Administrator Scott Szczebak echoed about the safety complex.

He said that the Select Board intends to discuss next steps at their meeting on Tuesday, but he emphasized that, for the police and fire departments, “working in those conditions just aren’t feasible going forward.”

Szczebak said the vote puts them in a difficult position because they “already cut down so much from the initial designs,” which yielded costs of $35-$40 million.

“We can’t cut down much more from it,” he said.

Elected positions

This year’s election contained no contested races, but produced three successful write-in campaigns for elected positions.

Those elected through write-in campaigns were Jamie Morrow for the Finance Committee, Eileen Hamel for the Park Commission and Erin Menard for the Hampshire Regional High School Committee.

Robert Floyd will serve as town moderator. On the Select Board, Ellen Debruyn was elected for a two-year term and Chris Fowles was elected for a three-year term. Christine Laprade will serve as Almoner. Linda Green will serve on the Board of Assessors for three years. Leah Carrasqillo will serve on the Board of Health for three years and William Wells was elected to the Cemetery Commission.

Chris Belsito and Anne Bowman were elected to the Housing Authority. The elected Library Trustees are Pamela Bernier, Tracy Collins, Jessica Lee Hufnagel, Jessica Ann McConnell, Carolyn McKeown and Michelle Noel. Paula Maak was elected to the Park Commission, James Labrie was elected for a four-year term on the Planning Board, and Catherine Thibodeau and Lori Wayson were also elected to the Hampshire Regional High School Committee.

Ron Laurin will serve as Tree Warden and Stephen Thor Johnson will serve as Water Commissioner.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.