MACHIASPORT — SAD 77 voters have approved a proposal to borrow $321,150 in state funds to replace the roof on the Fort O’Brien Elementary School.

Voters in Cutler, East Machias, Machiasport and Whiting approved the referendum Tuesday despite the fact that Machiasport may withdraw from the four-town school district.

The proposal passed by a vote 245-134.

Tuesday’s referendum clears the way for SAD 77 to borrow the money from the Maine Revolving Renovation Fund. The Legislature established the fund two years ago to help Maine schools with badly needed repairs.

The SAD 77 project received state approval this fall.

Under the state’s school funding formula, the Maine Department of Education will forgive 66.46 percent of the loan and SAD 77 will pay back $107,714. The loan payments can be made over five years and are interest-free, according to Superintendent Ashley LeBlanc.

LeBlanc said during an interview last month that Machiasport selectmen have agreed to pick up the loan payment if their town withdraws from the district.

Both Machiasport and Whiting began exploring withdrawal last year after the SAD 77 board approved a controversial proposal to reorganize the district’s four elementary schools.

The plan to create a middle school at the Elm Street Elementary School was scrapped after the school budget vote last summer. Machiasport and Whiting voted to begin the process of withdrawing from the district in December.

Both towns are developing withdrawal plans that must be approved by voters and the Maine Department of Education.

The roof repair project and the application to the Maine Revolving Renovation Fund were already in progress when the withdrawal controversy began.

Bucket Davis, the maintenance supervisor for SAD 77, said the 20-year-old roof has been leaking for years. SAD 77 spent $30,000 on an engineering plan for the project and is ready to go out to bid. Davis said last month that the work will be done this summer.

Approval margins in the four district towns varied. Machiasport voters approved the proposal by a vote of 96-27. Cutler passed the referendum by a vote of 39-20. East Machias voters approved the plan, 76-64, and Whiting approved the plan 34-23.