Thursday, March 09, 2017

Mullica School Referendum 3/14

SPECIAL ELECTION

March 14, 2017 – Special Election for school referendum.

" People who pass by the school during any events would realize the necessity of additional parking spaces.  Let's correct this condition before a tragedy occurs.  Vote 'YES' on March 14th"
Francis Paulsgraf

 http://www.mullicaschools.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/HeartsSlider.png

  

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Or vote no if you can't already afford your property taxes.

Unknown said...

I hope residents realize that their tax money will actually be wasted if the building improvements to the outdated and inefficient HVAC and lighting systems are not replaced.

These improvements alone, coupled with a future solar panel system, will save the district hundreds of thousand of dollars in the long run.

Senior citizens - many grandparaents and great-grands of students in our school - can have their school taxes frozen and would not bear the burden of paying for these cost saving improvements.

The parking situation is an accident waiting to happen - especially with all of the events that the school hosts during and Afterschool. Staff park in the shoulders of the road in front of the school, and along the back access road due to a lack of parking. When special events are held during school hours, staff must park behind the school on children's play areas so that visitors can park safely in the front lot. Visitors quickly fill the remaining spots and the bus loop - and must Mullica be vehicles out of the bus loop during dismissal hours. Special events have parents and visitors parking in the emergency /fire lane and on both sides of Elwood Road. The Police Department has tried to work with parents and visitors - understanding the serious safety concerns that exist for school buses and parents trying to exit the bus loop, and pedestrians and students walking along the road to get to events. Once the new lot is constructed, the MTPD have repeatedly stated that ticketing will occur if anyone parks illegally. Safety of everyone needs to be considered before a tragic incident occurs - damaged vehicles and property can be repaired or replaced - human life...not so easily.


Barbara Rheault

Anonymous said...

2 questions.
Is the vote to improve the parking area or to expand it
It was stated that the HVAC work and Solar Panels will save hundreds of thousands of dollars. Does that mean are taxes will go down in the future?

Anonymous said...

It will expand the parking in the rear of the school which will enable staff and parents to park in the back and leave the front spaces open to parents. If the referendum gets passed and the HVAC work and Solar Panels get done, then the cost of those projects won't have to come out of the general budget, leaving that money to go to programs, instruction, and all other budgeted items. Your taxes won't go down because the state has deemed the school already operates below adequacy, meaning below the amount of money the state estimates it costs the township to run our school district. A few years back, the board wanted to give the taxpayers a reduction in taxes and were the state would not allow it.

Anonymous said...

A parking lot will be added being the Primary side of the school - just behind the area where the garage and septic system is located. It will be able to handle all of the overflow parking in front of the school (along the curb, across the street, on the sides of Elwood Road). During events scheduled during the school day (Grandparents Day, Parent Visits, Fall Festival, etc.) it will absorb the parking surge.

I am not a member of the school board, nor am I in charge of school finances, however as it has been explained - the addition of energy efficient lighting will result in lowered energy bills. Solar panels have been discussed in the past, but until a new roof system (passed in the first referendum) would be installed - and then energy efficient lighting and systems put in place (up to the voters on Tuesday) it wouldn't make "cents" or sense to install the panels. Taxes are collected to support the current district operating budget. Any future savings reduce only the cost of paying the energy bills in future years.

Barbara Rheault
MTEA President, resident, and taxpayer

Anonymous said...

What is it costing the taxpayers to hold a " Special" election. I thought this proposal was defeated in November.

Anonymous said...

That parking should have been fixed years ago. Typical, wait until everything is out of control, not fixable and then hit up for all at once.