Posted: Tuesday, February 3, 2015 6:17 pm
The Greater Egg
Harbor Regional School Board will try once again to get voter approval
for repairs, renovations and additions at the three high schools.
Unlike last year, when a proposal
failed, this time district officials have broken the work into three
separate bonds. But the first bond for health and safety issues must
pass for the other two to pass.
“We are giving voters a choice,”
superintendent John Keenan said Tuesday. “We are conscious of the
economic times, but the need is there, and the state aid is there.”
The total for all three bonds is
$52.2 million with the state paying $19.4 million of that total. Keenan
said he understands the challenge of convincing voters to approve three
bonds, but said they have planned several public meets at all three
schools and posted the information on the district website to give
residents as much information as possible.
Last March, voters in three of
the four towns that make up the regional district rejected a $37 million
bond proposal. Only Hamilton Township votes supported the plan, which
included extensive heating, ventilating, and air conditioning work at
the 55-year old Oakcrest High School in Mays Landing. This plan includes
that work again.
The new bond referendum was
approved by the school board at its meeting Monday night. Voting will be
held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 10 at polling sites in all four
affected municipalities — Hamilton Township, Galloway Township, Egg
Harbor City and Mullica Township.
The first bond is the most
crucial and includes health and safety work at all three schools. That
segment would cost $20.3 million with the state providing $11 million.
The 55-year old Oakcrest High
School would get an entirely new HVAC system which would allow the
school to add air conditioning. Keenan said he believes last year voters
got stuck on the air conditioning issue when it really that is just
part of the overall replacement of the entire system. The current HVAC
ventilators are 20 years past their useful life and fail regularly.
Bathrooms, the lobby, security, classroom lighting,and locker rooms
would also be upgraded.
Work at Absegami, which is 32
years old, would include technology upgrades, enhanced security, HVAC
rooftop unit replacement, and locker room renovations.
Cedar Creek would get enhanced security and additional servers and software updates to meet increased demand.
The second bond includes
renovations and some additions for program expansion. It would cost $26
million, with $8 million coming from the state.
At Oakcrest, that proposal would
include replacing the track, additions to the library and cafeteria, a
new television studio and equipment, two new instructional kitchens, a
band room expansion, and a robotics lab.
At Absegami, the second bond
would include a band room addition, science room renovations, a new
auxiliary gym, replacement of the track, cafeteria expansion, a new
robotics lab, and some roof replacement.
There is no work at Cedar Creek in question two.
The third question would install
new artificial turf athletic fields with natural fill at all three high
schools. Cedar Creek would get lights and a refreshment stand. Each
field would be lined for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football.
The cost would be $5.8 million, with $229,166 paid by the state.
The tax impact would vary by
town, and the district’s prepared information includes a breakdown of
the tax impact in each municipality for each of the three questions,
based on a 20-year bond at an estimated interest rate of 3.75 percent.
If all three proposals pass,
annual property taxes per $100,000 of assessed value would increase
$39.70 in Egg Harbor City, $44 in Galloway Township, $38.60 in Hamilton
Township and $59.90 in Mullica Township.
GREATER EGG HARBOR REGIONAL BOND PROPOSALS
If just the first question
passes, annual taxes per $100,000 of assessed value would increase
$11.30 in Egg Harbor City, $12.60 in Galloway Township, $11 in Hamilton
Township and $17.10 in Mullica Township.
If approved, work would start this summer and some work could be finished by September of 2016.
Public meetings on the proposals
will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Oakcrest on Feb. 12 and 24, Absegami on
Feb. 11 and 25, and Cedar Creek on Feb. 10 and 26. Information is also
posted on all three high school and the district websites. A brochure
will be mailed to every resident in the affected towns.
Architect renderings and plans
were on display at Absegami Tuesday and generated a good amount of
interest by students. Expanded cafeterias were popular since the current
four lunch periods mean some students each lunch as early as 10 a.m.
The new athletic fields also got some attention, and students also
appreciated the academic proposals.
“This isn’t just sprinkles on a
cupcake,” said Absegami junior Betty Mulugeta. “These are things we
need. We might not get to use them all by graduation, but I want future
generations to appreciate this school. I want it to be better for
everyone.”
GREATER EGG HARBOR REGIONAL BOND PROPOSALS
The bond vote will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 10 at sites in all four municipalities.
Question 1 must pass for the other two to pass.
QUESTION 1: Health and safety issues
Total cost: $20,300,590
State aid: $11,060,878
Taxpayer share: $9,239,712
QUESTION 2: Renovations, additions
Total cost: $26,038,555
State aid: $8,089,986
Taxpayer share: $17,948,569
QUESTION 3: Athletic fields
Total cost: $5,818,800
State aid: $229,166
Taxpayer share: $5,589,634
Public meetings on the proposals
will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Oakcrest on Feb. 12 and 24, Absegami on
Feb. 11 and 25, and Cedar Creek on Feb. 10 and 26.
Detailed information is online at www.absegami.net, www.oakcrest.net, www.cedarcreekhs.net, and www. gehrhsd.net.
Contact Diane D'Amico:
609-272-7241
@ACPressDamico on Twitter
5 comments:
Almost all of the money would be spent at Oakcrest and Absegami.
This is the only portion of our property taxes that we have any control over by vote.
So let me get this straight. The new Super of GERSD has decide to eliminate an entire track of classes for our schoolchildren. Previously, there were tracks that included College Prep, Accelerated, and Honors classes. Now, that middle track has been eliminated, leaving just College Prep and Honors classes. So the new Super is asking us to pay more property taxes for less educational opportunities?
Also, CC is such a new school that it is tough for me to believe that it already needs upgrades for safety and health reasons.
More money for turf and lights for football? How about more money for educational opportunities for our children?
My vote is a "NO"!
We are at the breaking point with taxes and they are still on the increase . Folks have cut back and are doing make do with less. Now the schools have to do the same as every resident has to. In times of prosperity just about everyone supports the schools and their budgets but not now. Sure we all would like to have a lot of stuff and some we consider necessities but we just can't afford it for ourselves let alone for others.Some will claim it'll hurt the kids but having folks lose homes hurts them much more.
It seems that Mullica would have the largest tax increase and get the least benefit.
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