The town is looking into buying Robertson Airport, but a decision on the purchase will not be made until at least next year.

Town Manager Robert Lee told the town council Monday that a referendum on the possible purchase would not be on the November ballot. He said that to qualify for the ballot, the measure must be finalized by early September, a deadline that could not be met.

Lee said he felt it was important to give voters a chance to decide if they wanted to keep the facility, which was the first airport in the state, as part of the town.

Councilman Jason Rupaka said that pursuing the airport property was ultimately a "good deal for the town" and would preserve a piece of Plainville's history.

The town, the airport's owners and the Federal Aviation Administration are working toward settling on a price for Robertson, Lee said. If the town does purchase the facility, the federal government is expected to pay roughly 95 percent of the cost. The state would also chip in, leaving Plainville to pay only about 1.25 percent of the total.

The town council voted to allocate $150,000 to replace a portion of the roof at Wheeler Elementary School. A state grant is expected to pay for the other half of the project, which has an estimated cost of $300,000.