A vote to deny funding to renovate the Casco Community Center, which was previously approved at town meeting, dashed Recreation Director Beth Latsey’s hopes of a space of her own to hold recreation programs.

“I think the community center would have been a fantastic opportunity for the town,” Latsey said Wednesday. “I’m devastated.”

Her devastation came because of an Aug. 19 special town meeting where residents voted 92-75 against approving a 10-year bond to pay for renovations to the community center in Casco Village and convert the Casco Memorial School for use as town offices. With interest, the total amount to be borrowed came to more than $1.2 million.

The next step after funding was denied for the two projects is unclear, according to Town Manager Dave Morton. Selectmen plan to discuss plans at their meeting on Sept. 2.

The special town meeting was necessary because the original warrant items lacked a signature from Morton in his capacity as town treasurer.

“There was no debate,” said Morton this week. He explained that at the meeting motions to hold a secret ballot and cut off debate were successful before the vote.

Selectman Paul Edes was surprised by the vote. Though the building projects were expensive, he thought residents would approve them.

Selectman Carroll Morton, who was surprised by the high turnout for the meeting, said he thought the question didn’t pass because two different projects were written into a single warrant article.

The two building projects were placed on the original town meeting warrant by citizens’ petitions.

At the June 11 town meeting residents approved borrowing $750,000 to complete the minimum repairs needed to re-open the community center to residents by 65-54. They also approved allowing the town to borrow up to $175,000 for the conversion of Casco Memorial School.

According to Kevin Hancock, one of the organizers of the petition, the scope of the work would have included replacing the roof and roof trusses in the gym, straightening the side wall, supporting the back wall, laying beams under the gym floor, remodeling the town offices, putting in new flooring and bathrooms, installing a new heating system and removing and mitigating all existing mold.

The community center building previously housed the recreation department and town offices. The gym was ruled structurally unsound in 2006, and in the same year recreation programs moved to the Crooked River Elementary School and town offices moved to a building behind the fire station on Route 121.

The Recreation Department currently uses space at Crooked River Elementary School, Latsey said, but that space is limited and isn’t available during the day.

“It really does put a damper in programming,” Latsey said, adding that the department is able to maintain youth athletic programs but unable to offer adult or senior exercise programs or a summer recreation program for children.

Though directors of School Administrative District 61 plan to close the school as part of their ongoing facilities plan, Casco residents will still have to vote on whether they will allow the school to close and whether the town will accept the school from the district.