Officials Share Reminders Ahead Of Lacey Schools Bond Referendum

LACEY, NJ — As of Tuesday, the Lacey Township School District bond referendum is two weeks away. On March 11, Lacey residents will head to the polls to vote on three questions that, if approved, would supply a number of upgrades to the district.

Ahead of the vote, district officials are sharing reminders on how and where to vote.

With voter permission, school districts can sell bonds to generate funds the same way a homeowner might use a home equity loan for improvements. Property taxes buy back the bonds with interest over time.

READ MORE: 4 Takeaways From $92.5M Bond Referendum Forum In Lacey

Question 1 proposes borrowing $30 million to replace roofing at all six schools and to make high-priority replacements of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems at the High School and Middle School. The State of New Jersey has committed $12 million toward these projects, which would reduce costly repairs, boost energy efficiency and improve functionality. This would result in no increase on local property taxes.

Question 2 proposes borrowing $38 million to make additional HVAC upgrades at every school to improve climate control and energy efficiency; upgrade lighting and plumbing at Forked River and Mill Pond; and update electrical systems at the Middle School, Forked River and Mill Pond. The State of New Jersey has committed $15.2 million toward these projects. The remainder would add about $12 per month to local property tax bills.

Question 3 proposes borrowing $24.5 million to make updates and renovations at all six schools. A sampling of proposed projects includes gym locker rooms, a new synthetic, multi-sport turf field and field lighting, improved stormwater drainage at the high school; renovated gym locker rooms at the middle school; paving, curb repairs and outdoor basketball courts at the elementary schools; and locker replacement, restroom and library renovations at Mill Pond Elementary School. The State of New Jersey has committed $8.6 million toward these projects. The remainder would add about $8 per month to local property tax bills.

Note that Question 1 must be approved by voters in order for Question 2 or Question 3 to go into effect.

Estimated tax impacts are based on the average assessed home in Lacey Township, which is $287,011.

Lacey Township voters who wish to vote by mail in the bond referendum must send their completed applications in time to be received by March 4 at one of the Ocean County Clerk Offices. Times and locations are listed at clerk.co.ocean.nj.us/frmElectionServices?page=voterinfo.
Residents who wish to vote by mail and do not make that deadline can hand-deliver their applications at one of those offices until 3 p.m. March 10 – the day before the referendum. Residents can hand in their application, then receive, fill out and deposit their ballot – all in one stop.

It is important to note that mail-in ballot applications may be mailed or hand-delivered, but they are not accepted online.

“We do our best to maintain our school buildings, but many systems and structures have reached the end of their useful life and need replacement,” said William W. Zylinski, Acting Superintendent. “These updates can’t be ignored because some of the older equipment requires costly repairs just to get by, and we need a long-term solution. Using state aid to offset a portion of the project costs helps reduce the amount to be repaid by the taxpayers.”

To vote by mail:

• Ballots can be deposited in the mail with a postmark by the March 11 election date.
• Ballots can be delivered to the County Clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on March 11.
• Mail-in ballots will not be accepted at the polls. If voters arrive at the polls and are told they can’t cast a regular ballot, they should ask for a provisional ballot.

To vote in person:

• Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11.
• Polling locations are listed by district here.
• If voters are not sure of their voting district, polling locations can be confirmed at this website.

Visit www.laceyschools.org/vote for more details on the proposed projects, frequently asked questions, and voter and financial information. For questions directly related to the referendum, email vote@laceyschools.org.