Learn About $135.5M Bond Referendum For Freehold Township Schools At Virtual Forum

FREEHOLD, NJ — Community members can learn more about a proposed $135.5M bond referendum for long-lasting building improvements to Freehold Township Pre-K-8 schools at a virtual information forum on Feb. 20.

The Board of Education is hosting the forum to offer insight from professional consultants on the referendum and to answer community members’ questions.

This is the second forum the board is hosting for residents to learn more about the referendum proposal.

Residents can participate in the Feb. 20 forum remotely by submitting questions for the event, which will be answered in real time. The forum is set to run from 6-8 p.m. on Zoom.

During the event, community members will hear from professional consultants (such as the district’s architect, financial advisor and bond counsel) who guided the referendum proposal, and district representatives who can explain firsthand the benefits of using bond funding to complete the proposed projects.

Read: See Proposed Projects For Building Improvements

On March 11, community members will be asked to cast their vote on the referendum.

If approved, officials said the district will get upfront funding and state aid for long-lasting improvements to increase safety and security and boost health and efficiency at every school across the district.

The state will pay up to 40% of eligible costs for the proposed projects if the referendum passes, officials said. For Freehold Township, an estimated $45 million in state aid would offset local taxpayers’ share of the $135.5 million cost of the proposed projects.

This type of funding is only available through a voter-approved bond referendum, officials said.

If approved, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $611,704 would see an estimated tax impact of about $37 per month, according to officials. This increase to school debt tax would not appear on tax bills until July 2026.

Without voter approval, officials said these critical repairs would still need to be made, but without the help of state aid.

“We invite our community to attend this virtual information session so they can hear directly from our staff members and professional consultants about the projects,” Superintendent Neal Dickstein said. “Please come and ask your questions so you can make an informed vote on March 11.”

All voters must be registered with a Freehold Township address by Feb. 18 to participate in the referendum. To register for the referendum, you can click here.

To submit your questions for the forum, you can type them into the Q&A feature on Zoom during the event or email them in advance to vote@freeholdtwp.k12.nj.us.

A video recording of the referendum will also be available on the bond referendum website after the forum is complete.

Related

• $135.5M Bond Referendum Proposed By Freehold Township Board Of Education
• Learn About $135.5M Bond Referendum Proposed For Freehold Township Schools