Eight North Jersey school districts asked voters to OK construction plans. See the results
Voters in six North Jersey municipalities approved proposals to finance school construction projects outside of their annual budgets on Tuesday.
Among the bond referendums in Bergen and Morris counties, only one proposal saw voters decline a supplemental school tax for building improvements. One other, with an unofficial result of 398 to 391, remains too close to call with mail-in ballots potentially outstanding.
Most of the work pertains to upgrades of existing facilities, though some districts have proposed new classrooms and athletic fields. All are expected to be offset by state debt relief that covers up to 40% of project costs, records show.
Bergen County referendums
Bogota School District
Result: Approved.
The Bogota School District had two separate bond proposals in its referendum.
The first requested $12.7 million for new auditoriums, classrooms and bathrooms and other work at its high school and elementary schools. Approved in a 687-185 vote, the bond is also expected to fund a $4 million conversion of the former Masonic lodge on Palisade Avenue into a technical school.
The second bond proposal, approved in a 490-226 vote, should see the district borrow $7.2 million for new athletic fields to support the growing school enrollment.
Combined, the projects will cost the average taxpayer with a $263,500 property assessment about $15 a month for 20 years or more, district officials said in February. Records show the state is offering more than $7.7 million in aid to offset taxpayer repayment, state records show.
Once complete, the projects should provide enough space to reserve Bogota Jr./Sr. High School exclusively for grades nine through 12, district officials said.
Hillsdale School District
Result: Declined.
District officials in Hillsdale announced on Wednesday that the bond proposal meant to build a new middle school by the fall of 2026 was defeated by voters.
The $82.7 million proposal would have included the demolition of the century-old George G. White Middle School on Magnolia Avenue to allow for the creation of new athletic facilities at the site and the construction of a new school across the street.
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District officials said the referendum proposal would have cost the average taxpayer with a $474,172 property assessment about $95 a month for the next 30 years due to an offsetting $5.4 million state contribution. In the lead-up to Tuesday's vote, Board of Education members said the existing school is inadequate, with aging infrastructure and small classrooms. They said doing nothing is not an option, and a loss on Tuesday would likely restart the process of concept development and lead to another public referendum in one to two years.
Maywood School District
Result: Approved.
Maywood's bond measure approved Tuesday will bring building upgrades to Memorial School and Maywood Avenue School.
Both schools are about 100 years old and in need of new heating and cooling systems, fire alarm systems and roofs, district officials said. The referendum proposal approved 865-331 by voters will address those issues, they said. It will also allow the district to fund the addition of new classrooms at Memorial School and convert the science lab at Maywood Avenue School into a modern lab and makerspace.
Nearly $7.3 million, or about a third of the total projected costs, will be funded by state debt service aid. District officials said payment on the debt will not begin until 2025. Then, the average local school taxpayer with a property assessment of $449,058 will be responsible for about $28 per month to pay down the debt.
Saddle Brook School District
Result: Approved.
The Saddle Brook School District also received voter approval to borrow funds for school repairs and safety upgrades.
In a 792-656 vote, residents agreed to finance $14.4 million over 20 years for projects across all five of its schools.
Projects include safety and security upgrades, an athletic turf field and lights, and the replacement of various windows, doors, ceilings, roofs, restrooms and floors, district officials said.
Renovations at Washington Elementary School are expected to convert unused space to classrooms for a pre-K program currently operating with a waitlist. Moreover, the installation of an elevator is planned as part of an interior restoration of Coolidge School, district officials said.
The bond is expected to be offset by nearly $5 million in state funding, records show. District officials previously estimated that the bond repayment would cost the average taxpayer with a $407,800 property assessment about $121 per year.
Morris County referendums
Morris Plains School District
Result: Approved.
More than 73% of Tuesday's voters in Morris Plans approved a $9.5 million referendum measure to improve the district's two schools, according to the unofficial county results.
The 709-262 vote paves the way for the construction of five new classrooms, two single-occupancy bathrooms and an outdoor classroom and playground at Mountain Way School. The improvements are designed to restore learning environments affected by a lack of space in recent years and expand special education programs at the pre-K through second grade school, district officials said.
The project at Borough School, for third through eighth graders, is smaller by comparison. It is due to upgrade all bathrooms for students and staff, records show. District officials said repaying the bond will cost the average taxpayer with a property assessed at $440,000 about $63 per year over 20 years. State records show the bond repayment is due to be offset by about $918,000 million in state funding.
Riverdale School District
Result: Too close to call.
The vote in Riverdale could not be determined Wednesday.
In the balance remained an $18.9 million referendum proposal for site upgrades and classroom additions and renovations to Riverdale Public School, which serves students in pre-K through eighth grade.
The margin was just seven votes as of Wednesday morning, 398 in favor to 391 opposed, according to unofficial county results.
The proposed site work includes construction of a new loop drive and drop-off area to separate car and bus traffic and allow students to enter the building more safely. The project also calls for new classrooms, a cafeteria expansion and drainage upgrades ahead of new natural grass fields.
The measure incorporates $4.8 million in approved state aid, lowering the expected taxpayers' contributions. The average assessed home value of $373,829 equates to the homeowner paying about $373 per year over a 25-year period, according to district officials.
Washington Township School District
Result: Approved.
Voters in the Washington Township district approved a $28.8 million bond proposal to fund repairs and improvements for each of its schools
The approved projects include renovations estimated at $2.4 million at Old Farmers Road Elementary, $3.3 million at Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary, $4.8 million at Flocktown Elementary, $6.7 million at Walter J. Kossman Elementary, and $11.5 for Long Valley Middle School.
The projects range from classroom renovations and additions to boilers and electrical equipment and would be phased for completion over two to three summers beginning in 2023, district officials said. Morris County records show the vote was 908-793. About 20% of the ballots were cast by mail.
With the approval, the district is eligible for nearly $11.5 million in state aid to offset the taxpayer-funded bond.
The K-8 district sends students to West Morris Central High School in the township. The school is one of two in the West Morris Regional High School District. The other, Mendham High School, serves students from the Mendhams and Chesters.
Staff writers William Westhoven, Kyle Morel and Megan Burrow contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: See how North Jersey school construction referendums turned out
