PORTLAND — The city won't be reimbursed for $241,000 in architectural fees if the Portland City Council holds to its recent decision to turn down $19.6 million in state aid to build a new elementary school off Ocean Avenue.

Years of planning for the new school were undone Monday when the council voted 6-3 to borrow $19.6 million for the project.

The measure failed because it takes seven council votes to issue bonds.

City and state officials say they hope the three councilors who opposed the measure – David Marshall, Kevin Donoghue and Mayor Edward Suslovic – reconsider.

The state would have reimbursed the $19.6 million, including $241,000 that the city paid to WBRC Architects-Engineers for work on the project so far.

Interim Superintendent Jeanne Whynot-Vickers said Portland will have to "pick up that tab," something the city cannot afford as it considers eliminating 118 city and school positions in the 2008-09 budget proposals.