AFTON – The Town of Afton voted down a proposition Tuesday to borrow $400,000 to combine a new town hall and court room with the highway garage project on state Route 7.

FEMA approved up to $515,000, or 75 percent of the cost to replace the previous garage after it was irreparably damaged during the severe floods of 2006. The town maintains $215,000 in a capital building fund which would be used in part to cover the remainder of the project in conjunction with site preparation work that is counted as “work in trade.”

Supervisor John Lawrence, R-Afton, said the question put to voters this week sought to include the town hall and court in the same new building as the highway garage with an additional $400,000 bank bond to cover the additional costs. Repayment would have been spaced over a period of 20 years at a 3.9 percent interest rate, approximately $29,200 each year, he said.

The proposition failed Tuesday, by a vote of 345-190.

“I feel very good that there was such a show of public opinion on this issue,” said Lawrence. “Do I wish it had gone the other way? Yes. But I’m very happy with the number of people that turned out.”

Lawrence explained his support of the project stemmed from health and safety concerns in the current town hall, located at 169 Main St., and a desire to upgrade the building in a cost-effective manner.