Residents of Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro will decide Tuesday, Nov. 3, whether to approve an $86.1 million bond referendum to make infrastructure improvements throughout the Bordentown Regional School District.
The proposal would fund work at all five district schools, including replacement of leaking roofs, aging heating and cooling equipment, windows, plumbing and electrical systems, along with improvements to fire alarms, emergency generators, public address systems, doors, sidewalks and parking areas.
If the referendum is approved, the district would receive $29.3 million in state aid, covering about 34% of the $86.1 million cost. The remaining cost would be financed through bonds over 20 years.
The district says many of the projects involve building systems that have reached or exceeded their useful lives. Roofs at the schools are out of warranty and have been leaking into classrooms and other spaces, while outdated heating and air conditioning equipment costs the district about $400,000 a year in repairs.
“These issues will only continue to worsen and further impact learning and safety in our schools if we don’t address them soon,” Superintendent James Altobello said. “We have the opportunity, through a successful bond referendum, to take advantage of $29.3 million in bonds to help pay these costs and reduce the tax burden on our residents. Our schools are the foundation of our community and our students are its future. They deserve better.”
Among the districtwide projects are replacement of roofs and heating, air conditioning and temperature control systems; new interior lighting; replacement of windows and caulking in older buildings; and repairs to deteriorated sidewalks, asphalt, driveways and parking lots.
The proposal also calls for replacement of interior doors and hardware, electrical upgrades, new public address and clock systems, fire alarm replacements and installation or replacement of emergency generators. Plumbing work would include changes to make restrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Some of the work varies by school.
At Bordentown Regional High School, projects would include roof, paving and sidewalk work; mechanical, plumbing and electrical upgrades; replacement of interior doors; a new auditorium sound system; new interior and exterior lighting; emergency generators; and replacement of the public address, clock and fire alarm systems.
Bordentown Regional Middle School would receive roof, paving and sidewalk work along with replacement of exterior windows, interior doors and classroom casework. Restrooms would be renovated for ADA compliance, while mechanical, plumbing, electrical and power distribution systems would also be upgraded.
At MacFarland Intermediate School, the referendum would pay for roof, paving, sidewalk, window and door replacement; classroom casework; restroom accessibility improvements; mechanical and plumbing work; electrical upgrades; an emergency generator; and replacement of fire alarm, public address and clock systems. The school’s gymnasium sound system would also be replaced.
Clara Barton Elementary School would receive similar work, including replacement of roofing, windows, interior doors and classroom casework; restroom renovations; heating and cooling improvements; plumbing and electrical upgrades; an emergency generator; and new fire alarm, public address and clock systems.
Projects at Peter Muschal Elementary School include replacement of roofing, windows, interior doors and classroom casework; paving and sidewalk work; restroom accessibility improvements; mechanical and plumbing upgrades; and electrical and power distribution improvements.
District officials have cited examples including rainwater pooling inside Room 5 at Bordentown Regional Middle School and deteriorating concrete at Peter Muschal Elementary School.
The proposal also would replace original single-pane windows in older buildings with double-pane windows and update fire alarm, public address and security systems, some of which date to the original construction of the district’s older schools.
The district has already spent more than $8 million from capital reserves on facility improvements since 2020, including security projects. A state grant also helped fund heating and cooling improvements at the high school, including two boilers and a rooftop air conditioning unit.
The district also refinanced debt associated with construction of Bordentown Regional High School, saving taxpayers $677,409.
“The district has been very proactive in managing its debt, saving taxpayers $677,409 through refinancing since the construction of the high school,” Business Administrator Chifonda Henry said. “We have also paid for several critical infrastructure improvements through our capital reserve, but a bond referendum gives the district the opportunity to take advantage of $29.3 million in bonds to pay for the improvements we still desperately need.”
The tax impact would differ among the three municipalities served by the regional district.
For a Bordentown City home with the municipality’s average assessed value of $206,218, the district estimates the referendum would add $38 per month in school taxes.
In Bordentown Township, the estimated increase is $49 per month for a home assessed at the township average of $243,967.
In Fieldsboro, a home with the average assessed value of $208,879 would see an estimated increase of $35 per month. Those figures are based on assessed value, rather than a property’s market value.
The earliest the additional debt payments could be reflected in property tax bills would be the third quarter of 2027. If project costs ultimately come in below the amount authorized by voters, state law requires the savings to reduce the amount borne by taxpayers. If costs exceed the approved amount, the Board of Education cannot increase spending on the projects without additional voter approval and would instead have to modify the projects to remain within the authorized budget.
If voters approve the referendum, construction is expected to begin no earlier than summer 2027, with most work scheduled around school calendars. The district anticipates completing the improvements before the beginning of the 2028-29 school year.
The district has scheduled three opportunities for residents to learn more about the proposal: Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Clara Barton Elementary School, 100 Crosswicks St., with a presentation and building tour; Monday, Oct. 12, at Bordentown Regional High School, 318 Ward Ave., with architects and financial advisers available for a forum and question-and-answer session; and Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bordentown Regional Middle School, 50 Dunns Mill Road, with a presentation and tour.
The referendum will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Early in-person voting runs from Saturday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 1. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Registered voters in Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro are eligible to vote on the question.
Additional information, including individual school projects, tax calculations and voting information, is available at bordentown.k12.nj.us/vote.
