$135.5M Bond Referendum Proposed By Freehold Township Board Of Education

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, NJ—The Freehold Township Board of Education is proposing a $135.5 million bond referendum to fund long-lasting building improvements at pre-K through eighth-grade schools.

Aimed at supporting the safety and health of students, staff and community members, officials said the board is pursuing the referendum as a "responsible financial strategy to address the highest priority security and facility needs."

State aid, which is only available through a voter-approved bond referendum, would cover up to 40% of eligible costs, officials said — approximately $45 million to offset the local share of the projects.

Community members will vote on the referendum on March 11, 2025.

“Safety is the district’s top priority, next to education,” Superintendent Neal Dickstein said. “The bond referendum would allow us to make necessary updates to increase school security and update our facilities with the assistance of state aid, rather than relying entirely on local taxes.”

In order to choose the referendum's projects, officials said the pre-K-8 district worked with financial advisers to choose projects that would address security and building improvements while protecting the community’s investment in their schools.

In March, voters will be asked to consider funding for the following projects:

• Adding a secure entry vestibule with an additional surveillance camera at every school for another layer of security
• Installing doors on the classrooms in the Errickson and Applegate School pods for improved privacy and security
• Replacing the fire alarm systems at every school that are difficult to find parts for and expensive to repair
• Replacing exterior and interior doors to enhance security at each building
• Upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to improve air quality, reduce the risk for unexpected repairs, and enhance energy efficiency
• Upgrading electrical equipment, where needed, to support infrastructure updates
• Replacing aging roofing, which would resolve leaks, reduce potential disruptions due to environmental risks, and boost energy efficiency
• Replacing outdated windows at ECLC to increase energy efficiency
• Reconfiguring the front office areas at each school to accommodate nurse’s suites and more efficiently serve the students and community

If the referendum is approved, officials said the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $611,704 would see an estimated tax impact of $37 per month.

This increase to school debt tax would not appear on tax bills until July 2026, officials said.

“Without voter approval, these critical repairs would still need to be made, but without the help of state aid,” Dickstein said. “It’s important to note that all residents pay toward school improvements through state property taxes. The only way to bring that money back to invest in Freehold Township schools is through voter approval of a bond referendum.”

Neighboring towns such as Manalapan and Englishtown have put forward bond referendums for school improvements as well.

In November, voters approved a $36.7 million bond referendum for the Manalapan-Englishtown School District, which helped fund projects aimed at improving safety, security, accessibility and cost efficiency.

In an effort to educate voters, officials said the pre-K-8 district will use their website, social media, local media outlets, town-wide mailing and a bond referendum community information forum to provide information for residents.

“We will make every effort to inform members of the community about the importance of this referendum and the benefits of using state aid to help offset the costs of these projects,” Board of Education President Michael Amoroso said. “We encourage the community to learn about how this investment in our facilities would continue to serve our community now and into the future."

For more information, you can visit the Freehold Township School District website.

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