5 Things You Need to Know Today About the Jan. 22 Bancroft Referendum

The Jan. 22 Bancroft bond referendum is just 15 days away and here are five thing you need to know about it today:

1. School board member Maureen Eyles and Superintendent Richard Perry answer questions today on the Bancroft purchase to the borough Zone PTA at the Central-Middle School library at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

2. The polls for the special election will be open on Tuesday, Jan. 22 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

3. The state Department of Education provides for school referendums on five specific dates each year. This was the earliest date by which all formalities and due diligence could be accomplished, according to the school board.

4. If the proposal does not pass the BOE will drop its proposal for acquisition, and the borough, acting as the redevelopment authority, will be forced to consider other plans proposed as a result of the designation of the property as “in need of redevelopment.” These alternate proposals must be addressed as a matter of law. The BOE has no intention of pursuing, or even a right to pursue, a second referendum, it said in a recent letter to the community.

5. The BOE has accepted the findings of a “Turf-it” Field Committee that recommended synthetic turf and determined that synthetic fields are necessary to accommodate the needs of youth and high school athletes.