MILLINOCKET – Plans to consolidate recreation efforts in four towns will take a leap forward when administrators meet next week to discuss the idea’s details, Town Manager Eugene Conlogue said Friday.

The administrators will meet Wednesday in East Millinocket, the host the program if the idea gets final approval.

“We’ll see what steps we need to take,” Conlogue said. “I’m looking forward to it just to see what we come up with.”

The Millinocket Town Council approved the concept Thursday night. Councilors voted 5-2 to pursue regionalizing efforts with East Millinocket, Medway and Woodville.

Concept approval doesn’t mean that the idea will happen. The other towns have yet to approve it. Administrative details must be worked out before final approval can be given.

East Millinocket’s Board of Selectmen will discuss the idea on Monday, town Administrative Assistant Shirley Tapley said.

Town councilors praised the idea, which would bring 23 new recreational programs to residents without costing more than the $151,000 the town already spends on recreation annually.

“I think this is a very important concept and a watershed moment for the towns involved,” Councilor Matthew Polstein said.

Councilors Jimmy Busque and David Cyr liked the idea, but thought it should also save money.

“With the first year, there won’t be a cost savings, but I certainly hope there would be, eventually,” Busque said.

Polstein stressed that the council was committing to work out the concept’s unresolved details. Among them is whether a town job would be eliminated by consolidation because the program would broaden recreational offerings as area populations are declining.

Councilor David Nelson said the idea could save money because one job probably will be cut. The town, Polstein said, also might save in contract negotiations with East Millinocket, which will oversee the program with the Joint Elected Officials Board from the four towns also having a say.

The idea, Nelson said, would allow Millinocket residents to travel to the other three towns to take advantage of programs there, and vice versa.

Millinocket has summer theater, youth football and hockey. East Millinocket offers soccer, after-school programs, and kayak and canoe lessons. Beach volleyball and swimming in the Penobscot River are among the offerings in Medway.

Local teams that play in town leagues would not need to be disbanded to make way for regionalization, Councilor Gail Fanjoy said.

Medway, Woodville and East Millinocket already share recreational offerings. Woodville has no recreational department but pays East Millinocket $700 to use its programs.