MONTGOMERY: Voters approve $18.5 million school bond referendum

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — Voters gave “thumbs up” Tuesday to the Montgomery Township public school district’s proposed $18.5 million bond referendum for repairs and renovations to each of the district’s five schools.
Overall, the bond referendum passed 1,185 to 801. Montgomery Township voters approved the measure by 1,132 to 787. Rocky Hill Borough voters gave it 53 “yes” votes to 14 “nays.” Although the vote tallies include absentee and provisional ballots, the results are unofficial.
School board president Christine Witt was pleased that voters supported the bond referendum.
“I am not surprised that it passed. I was confident that it would pass,” Ms. Witt said.
The next step is to make arrangements to sell the bonds, according to school district Business Administrator Annette Wells. The architects will put together bid specifications, and then the projects will be put out for bid.
School district officials must sit down and prioritize the order in which the projects will begin, taking into account that the buildings are in use and thus the potential impact of construction work on students and staff.
It is hoped that some of the work can begin during the summer, Ms. Well said. The list of projects, which ranges from window and roof replacements to classroom remodeling, will take approximately two years to complete.
Of the overall $18.5 million bond, state debt service aid will cover $7.1 million. Property owners’ share will be $11.3 million. The state Department of Education will contribute 40 percent in debt service aid, which is a partial payment of the bond. The payment will be made annually over the 15-year life of the bond.
A Montgomery Township property owner whose house is assessed at the township average of $499,206 will see an increase of $126 annually in the school district portion of the tax bill, while a Rocky Hill Borough resident whose house is assessed at the borough average of $439,562 will pay $74 more.
School districts are required to maintain a long-range facility plan, which is reviewed periodically. Based on a 2014 facilities needs assessment, a list of projects and improvements was prepared for each of the schools.
Roof replacements are planned for the Orchard Hill Elementary School, the Village Elementary School, the Lower Middle School and the Upper Middle School. Bathroom renovations are planned for the two elementary schools and the Upper Middle School.
At the Orchard Hill Elementary School, the boiler and the gym floor will be replaced, as well as the windows in the older portion of the school. The gym partitions will also be replaced.
The Village Elementary School will get music room alterations and the installation of a second exit in the rear parking lot. The music room will allow the student musicians to move from the cafeteria to classrooms, improving acoustics.
A playground will be installed at the Lower Middle School, along with replacements of the boiler and the chiller. The Media Center carpet will be replaced.
At the Upper Middle School, the Media Center will be renovated. The Home Economics room will be converted into an art room. In the gym, the floor will be renovated and the bleachers and gym divider will be replaced.
Outside, the running track will be replaced, the gravel transportation parking lot will be paved, and parking and drop-off/pick-up areas will be installed. The underground storage tanks for fuel will be removed and new ones installed above ground.
The track at Montgomery High School’s Cougar Stadium will be resurfaced. Bathroom floors will be replaced.
A sidewalk will be installed to County Route 601 at the main entrance into the high school campus. Somerset County is going to install sidewalks on the opposite side of the road. Students walk from the high school to Blawenburg, and this will make it safe for them.