TREVOR — A referendum to spend up to $11.4 million to expand Trevor School in order to house all students in the combined district will go before voters Nov. 3.

The Trevor-Wilmot School Board voted Tuesday to hold the referendum, with hopes of getting zero percent interest to cover about a third of the cost through the state Department of Public Instruction.

The board considered three different plans, ranging from $10.5 million to $15.9 million, before choosing a “middle-of-the-road” plan that adds 10 classrooms, a library and a two-station gymnasium, and makes other improvements to the building needed to relocate all of the Wilmot programs and students to the site on Highway C.

Board members Cole Marshall and Susan Giovanni favored the more costly option, which would demolish the fifth-grade wing of Trevor School and add 18 classrooms. The wing is the oldest, most inefficient section of Trevor School and is not handicapped accessible.

“To the people who are going to vote on this there will be little discernable difference between $11.4 (million) and $15.9 (million),” said Giovanni. “They are both big, big numbers. The people who are not going to vote for this are not going to vote for it at $10.1 (million).”

A motion to seek $15.9 million failed 3-2.

Board member Lynn Jaeger, who made the motion to seek $11.4 million, said he was concerned the district would be overbuilding with the more expensive plan, though neither of the plans added any more classrooms than already exist between the two schools. He said the plan is designed to be expandable.

“We have built as we needed,” Jaeger said. “We’ve had pinch points a year or two where it was tigher than we wanted it to be. But I don’t think anyone can say we ever overbuilt.”

A motion to ask voters for an amount not to exceed $11,380,000 was approved 3-2.

All board members agreed, even with the economy the way it is, the loan program available to the district makes this the best time to go to referendum. “We will probably never get the kind of incentive again we can get right now,” said president Tom Steiner.

Lisa Voisin, a school financial specialist with Robert W. Baird and Co., said the Qualified School Construction Bonds available through the federal stimulus package are only available for another year.

Eligible schools receive a zero percent loan. The lender receives a credit to offset federal taxes instead of interest.

The loan can be used for new construction, building rehabilitation, land acquisition and new equipment for the improved space.

Currently, Wilmot School, 10720 Fox River Road, houses grades K-4 while Trevor School, 26325 Wilmot Road, houses grades 3-8.

Plans are to lease or sell the Wilmot building.

Voisin said priority consideration is given to school districts that have passed a referendum or a resolution to issue non-referendum debt.