School districts throughout New Jersey are facing the issue of aging and deteriorating schools and how to pay for upkeep and modernization. The Hopewell Valley Regional School District is no different.
That is why the Board of Education sought and received approval to hold a special election on Tuesday, Sept. 27 giving district residents a chance to vote on a $35-million bond referendum the school board says is crucial to helping the district address a growing list of concerns.
The school board commissioned a three-years, comprehensive review of all district facilities. The study comprised a review of facilities as well as an evaluation of building capacities and enrollment projections. The review also provided in-depth inspections highlighting structural risks, water leakage and inefficient utilities.
More than $60 million of needed projects were identified across all district facilities. The Board of Education says it has identified $35 million in critical projects that need to be addressed immediately. Many of the proposed improvements concern fire safety and security, including a redesigned, accessible main entrance for the high school.
The referendum also includes the addition of a $5.2-million Arts and Wellness Space to the high school that the district says is needed to provide improved facilities for the theater arts program, physical education and athletics.
“Our Board of Education has been planning this referendum for many years to ensure that we have prioritized the most important facilities work in order to maximize student achievement potential for our students, while minimizing the financial impact for our taxpayers,” school board president Lisa Wolff said in a statement.
Like most school districts, HVRSD struggles to fit large maintenance projects into its annual operating budget. State law caps general fund increases at 2 percent each year without voter approval. Within that limit, the district must accommodate typical rising costs of payroll, benefits, educational materials, contracted services and utilities.
Regular maintenance is being done on all the buildings in the district. HVRSD spent more than $6 million on roofs and HVAC upgrades in the past few years, but the district says more improvements are needed. Roof, HVAC and window projects exceed what can be done through an annual budget. The school board estimates that roof and HVAC costs alone will cost more than $15 million.
Projects paid for as part of the regular budget are ineligible for state debt service aid, which provides up to a 40 percent rebate on most maintenance projects. Debt service aid is financial assistance from the state for specific school facilities projects.
The district says that if voters approve the bond referendum, the state will give Hopewell Valley an estimated $12.3 million toward the costs that would not be available if the projects were placed in the annual budget.
In a letter to residents, district superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith wrote that favorable interest rates and the pending retirement of existing debt in 2021 makes this an opportune time for a referendum. “Taking a proactive approach toward needed repairs and updates enables us to avoid expensive renovations in the future,” he wrote.
If voters don’t approve the bond referendum on Sept. 27, the district says, Hopewell Valley schools will still face critical needs that can’t be addressed within the operating budget. A vote of no would leave the district unable to qualify for state debt service aid.
Four information sessions are scheduled to be held at the Board of Education offices at 425 S. Main St. in Pennington: Sept. 6, 13 and 26 at 9 a.m. and Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. Representatives from the district will also be on hand to answer questions at all five back-to-school nights: at CHS on Sept. 14, Bear Tavern Sept. 15, Timberlane Sept. 20, Hopewell Elementary Sept. 21 and Toll Gate Sept. 22.
Specifics about the proposed projects can be found online at hvrsd.org (look for the “Referendum” link).
