SKOWHEGAN — Skowhegan voters gave a resounding “no” to a referendum question Tuesday asking them to change three town posts from elective ones to ones filled by the town manager’s appointments.

Residents voted 2,557-1,488 not to change the position of road commissioner to an appointive one. They voted 2,668-1,379 not to change the position of town clerk and 2,661-1,374 not to change the position of town treasurer, according to results released late Tuesday night by Town Clerk Gail Pelotte.

It was the third such vote — with the same result — in the past decade.

Skowhegan’s town manager, Christine Almand, said the question was last brought to voters during the presidential election in 2008, and the question failed by about the same margin as it did on Tuesday.

“I understand why the selectmen wanted to bring this question forward again,” she said. “I believe that the process encouraged a good dialogue between the citizens and the selectmen. With over 60 percent of the vote, the voters have reiterated that they want to continue electing their road commissioner, town clerk and town treasurer.”

In other voting Tuesday, residents of the six towns of Skowhegan-based School Administrative District 54 approved a referendum bond amounting to $1.6 million to replace and repair roofs on seven of the eight schools in the district. The final vote was 5,363-3,220.

All towns voted “yes” to the bond, with the following vote totals: Canaan, 674-450; Cornville, 402-307; Skowhegan, 2,617-1,391; Norridgewock, 1,089-648; Mercer, 231-179; and Smithfield, 350-245

On the appointing or electing issue, some residents suggested that Skowhegan voters are smart enough to pick their own officials, but others said it is time to plan for the future by having officials appointed and therefore more accountable. There were concerns that in future elections a person who is not qualified could unseat Greg Dore, the elected road commissioner, or Gail Pelotte, the elected town clerk and treasurer. The idea has been raised several times in recent years but was never approved by voters, who have the final say in the matter.

On the bond question, SAD 54 Superintendent Brent Colbry said most of the schools either were built or had the roofs replaced about the same time — 20 to 30 years ago — and with district debt at a current low, now is a good time to get the work done.

Roofs to be replaced are at Skowhegan Area High School, the Somerset Career and Technical Center, Skowhegan Area Middle School, Canaan Elementary School, North Elementary School, Margaret Chase Smith Elementary School and Bloomfield Elementary School.

The annual payment on the bond is to be about $120,000 per year over a period of 15 to 20 years. The interest rate is expected to be 2 percent to 3.5 percent. Mill Stream Elementary School in Norridgewock, which is relatively new, is the only school in the district that does not need a roof. SAD 54 schools in Cornville, Mercer and Smithfield were closed by the district and turned over to the towns several years ago.

The entire job will go out to bid in December. A contract would be awarded by February. The work will begin the summer of 2017.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

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Twitter:@Doug_Harlow