Voters in four towns Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to build a $2.4 million bus garage for School Administrative District 44.

The overall total was 805-286.

Town tallies were: Bethel, 364-149; Greenwood, 135-36; Woodstock, 117-69; and Newry, 89-32.

In August, the School Board voted 8-6 in favor of holding a referendum on constructing a two-bay garage on district land next to Telstar Regional High School on Route 26 in Bethel.

The bus garage next to the wastewater treatment plant at 199 Main St. in Bethel was built in the 1920s. A recent report by a structural engineer revealed it has failing masonry and the roof needs to be shored up.

Those in favor of a new garage cited the deteriorating condition of the old one, while those opposed to the project said the overall cost was their biggest concern.

Ordinances

In Newry, all three ordinances passed, with adult-use marijuana 84-36, medical marijuana 87-34 and the planning board ordinance 68-48. Newry’s proposed marijuana ordinances are for retail facilities only, not for growing or other activities.