N.J. Voters Back 25 School Construction Measures on Dec. 14

TRENTON, N.J.-On Dec. 14, New Jersey voters approved 25 of 33 school construction proposals, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. The approvals total $514 million in construction funds. More than $160 million of the approved construction ballots will be funded through the Educational Facilities Construction and Financing Act.

The New Jersey School Boards Association is the only statewide organization that tracks the success of bond referendums.

The second Tuesday in December is one of five days throughout the year when local school boards can schedule construction referendums. The next election will take place on January 25, 2005. Other elections will be March, April and September.

In 2004, New Jersey voters in 71 school districts decided the fate of bond questions, approving 48 of them for a total of $1.039 billion in new schools, additions and renovations.

Many of the Dec. 14 school construction proposals, which passed are listed below.

BERGEN COUNTY
South Hackensack Township-Passed
Expend additional amount on renovations and addition to Memorial School for a project previously approved by voters in September 2002.
$6,336,239 – total
$4,767,209 – locally financed bonds
$1,569,030 – Other: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey grant

BURLINGTON COUNTY
Eastampton Township-Passed
Addition to the Eastampton Township Middle School
$22,010,542 – total
$10,879,627 – state grant
$11,130,915 – locally financed bonds

Maple Shade Township-Passed
Additions and renovations to Maude E. Wilkins School, Howard R. Yocum School, Ralph J. Steinhauer School and Maple Shade High School
$28,081,268 – total
$8,874,129 – state grant
$19,207,139 – locally financed bonds

CAMDEN COUNTY
Clementon Borough-Passed
Addition and renovations at The Clementon Elementary/Middle School
$5,246,061 – total
$2,952,892 – state grant
$2,293,169 – locally financed bonds

Haddonfield-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Renovations the to four schools
$9,273,927 – total
$3,532,924 – state grant
$5,741,003 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Additional improvements and renovations to four schools.
$4,414,322 – total
$1,174,770 – state grant
$3,239,552 – locally financed bonds

ESSEX COUNTY
Roseland-Passed
Addition and renovations to the Noecker Elementary School
$13,917,254 – total
$2,909,748 – state grant
$11,007,506 – locally financed bonds

GLOUCESTER COUNTY
Washington Township-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Installation of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at Orchard Valley Middle School and Chestnut Ridge Middle School
$13,029,588 – total
$6,774,742 – state grant
$6,254,846 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Installation of new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and security cameras to five schools; renovations at Washington Township High School.
$17,137,265 – total
$7,101,020 – state grant
$10,036,245 – locally financed bonds

Woodbury-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Renovations to four schools.
$20,276,078 – total
$8,797,586 – state grant
$11,478,492 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Improvement and replacement of telephone and intercom/data systems at four schools; renovations to auditorium at Woodbury Junior-Senior High School
$2,795,200 – total
$1,292,102 – state grant
$1,503,098 – locally financed bonds

HUDSON COUNTY
Kearny-Passed
Renovations to the Kearny High School
$6,084,269 – total
$2,433,708 – state grant
$3,650,561 – locally financed bonds

HUNTERDON COUNTY
Franklin Township-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Expansion and renovations to the elementary school
$10,811,748 – total
$2,836,092 – state grant
$7,975,656 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Installation of two water tanks for emergency water supply on school site
$268,457 – total
$268,457 – locally financed bonds

MIDDLESEX COUNTY
East Brunswick Township-Passed
Additions and renovations to three schools.
$106,106,658 – total
$24,720,221 – state grant
$81,386,437 – locally financed bonds

Metuchen-Passed
Renovations at Metuchen High School and window replacement at the Edgar School
$28,745,350 – total
$11,498,140 – state grant
$17,247,210 – locally financed bonds

MONMOUTH COUNTY
Manasquan Borough-Passed
Addition and renovations to the Manasquan Elementary School
$12,750,000 – total
$3,097,009 – state grant
$9,652,991 – locally financed bonds

Upper Freehold Regional-Passed
Construction of a new middle school and renovations to the existing elementary school
$38,998,901 – total
$6,412,705 – state grant
$32,586,196 – locally financed bonds

MORRIS COUNTY
Chester Township-Passed
Additions and renovations to three schools.
$22,750,000 – total
$5,519,012 – state grant
$17,230,988 – locally financed bonds

Randolph Township-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Additions and renovations to the Randolph High School
$19,796,508 – total
$4,934,397 – state grant
$14,862,111 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Renovations to five schools.
$4,917,542 – total
$1,967,016 – state grant
$2,950,526 – locally financed bonds

OCEAN COUNTY
Lavallette Borough-Passed
Renovations for security and for library and adjacent classrooms at the Lavallette Elementary School
$1,978,873 – total
$791,549 – state grant
$1,187,324 – locally financed bonds

PASSAIC COUNTY
Clifton-Passed
Purchase land and renovate facilities to provide an annex building to the Clifton High School
$15,153,548 – total
$4,004,000 – state grant
$11,149,548 – locally financed bonds

SALEM COUNTY
Alloway Township-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Addition and renovations to Alloway Elementary School
$5,295,509 – total
$2,265,939 – state grant
$3,029,570 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2: Install air conditioning at Alloway Elementary School
$788,538 – total
$401,781 – state grant
$386,757 – locally financed bonds

Pittsgrove Township-Passed
Renovations to four schools
$4,168,750 – total
$2,104,657 – state grant
$2,064,093 – locally financed bonds

SOMERSET COUNTY
Somerville-Passed
Renovations to the middle and high schools, and renovation and expansions to Van Derveer Elementary School
$24,950,000 – total
$9,537,833 – state grant
$15,412,167 – locally financed bonds

SUSSEX COUNTY
Andover Regional-Both Passed
Proposal 1: Renovations to both school district school facilities
$5,571,015 – total
$2,228,406 – state grant
$3,342,609 – locally financed bonds

Proposal 2 (contingent upon passage of Proposal 1): Additions and renovations to Burd Elementary School
$2,649,988 – total
$472,815 – state grant
$2,177,173 – locally financed bonds

UNION COUNTY
Westfield-Passed
Construction of improvements to the track and field at Gary Kehler Stadium
$1,381,839 – total
$1,381,839 – locally financed bonds