PORTSMOUTH — A controversial proposal to allow the proposed development of the senior center property to go forward was narrowly approved by voters in Tuesday’s special election. 

According to results posted by the R.I. Board of Elections at about 9 p.m. Tuesday, 1,880 residents (about 54 percent) voted to approve Question 2, which concerns the senior center property on Bristol Ferry Road, while 1,330 (46 percent) voted to reject the question.

Voters overwhelmingly said “yes” to another ballot question concerning school construction and renovation projects. All results are unofficial until certified by the state Board of Elections.

Some mail ballots, however, weren’t scheduled to be tabulated until Wednesday, Nov. 3. According to Jacqueline S. Schulz, registrar of voters, 1,774 people requested mail ballots. Only 1,013 were included in Tuesday’s results, however.

That means more than 700 mail ballots are still to be counted, which could conceivably change the results on Question 2 — the senior center property development. However, on Tuesday night, nearly two-thirds of the mail ballots that were already tabulated favored Question 2.

Question 2 asked voters to approve a transfer of property interest in the so-called Anne Hutchinson School property at 110 Bristol Ferry Road for the purposes of developing elderly affordable housing, a new senior center facility, and the possible redevelopment of the original Anne Hutchinson School building.

The proposal developed by the nonprofit Church Community Housing Corp. (CHC) and the town divided many residents. Since no tax dollars were being sought, some argued it was the most cost-effective way for elderly residents to get a new senior center to replace the current one that’s partially closed due to fire code violations, as well as moving toward meeting the state’s mandate on affordable housing units in town.

Others, however, said the question was too vague and seemed to give too much power to CCH, with little input from seniors themselves. Many residents argued the town should simply renovate the current senior center, although town officials have said that would cost taxpayers more than $5 million.

Voters resoundingly approved Question 1, which asked whether they wanted to allow the town to issue no more than $21,439,299 in general obligation bonds to fund school construction and renovation projects approved by the Town Council and defined in the Portsmouth School Department’s Stage II Submission to the R.I. Department of Education in June.

According to the election results, 2,164 residents — a whopping 62 percent — voted to approve the school bond, while 1,330 (38 percent) voted to reject.

This bond is for “health and safety” upgrades to all four school buildings. The improvements include major renovations of all school bathrooms, putting in an elevator at Hathaway School, upgrading and widening Memorial Drive leading into Portsmouth High School as well as adding parking spaces there, installing air conditioning at the PHS field house, replacing the roof at Melville School, and removing asbestos in the schools.

School officials said there was a “time-limited opportunity” for the district to earn a 40-percent reimbursement on the project, which means that about $8.6 million would be returned to the Town of Portsmouth, with the actual project cost being about $12.9 million.

According to the school district, the estimated tax impact would be about $56.70 annually on a home valued at $250,000, and $113.40 on a home valued at $500,000.

State funding is available due to the $250 million statewide bond approved by voters in 2018. 

Strong turnout

A total of 3,503 ballots were cast, representing a voter turnout of 22.5 percent. 

Many residents chose to vote ahead of time — either by mail ballot or in person at Town Hall between Oct. 13 and Nov. 1 (also called “emergency in-person” voting). According to Schulz, in addition to the 1,774 people who requested mail ballots, another 641 voted early at Town Hall.

Mail ballot tabulations began at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the R.I. State Board of Elections in Cranston. Ballots received at 8 p.m. were to be delivered and tabulated on Wednesday, Nov. 3, Schulz said. Provisional ballots, which typically make up a small percentage of the total votes, will be determined on Wednesday, Nov. 3.