With Referendum Passed, Long Valley Looks Ahead To Bidding Process

LONG VALLEY, NJ — With the approval of a $28.8 million bond referendum earlier this spring, the Washington Township School District can now move forward with planned infrastructure and safety improvements.

During the July 11 school board meeting, Rob Waskis, Chairperson of the Finance and Facilities Committee, gave an update on the district's referendum plans, stating that three of the projects would soon be going out for bid.

The projects include adding additional storage in the classrooms at Old Farmer's Road Elementary School and both buildings at Flocktown-Kossmann Elementary School. Bids will also be taken to add new windows in Kossmann and to renovate the public address system at the middle school.

Waskis also gave an update on the projects that will be completed next and will most likely be bid on in the fall.

"In the fall we're going to go out for bid for the sports courts here at the middle school as well as repairs to the Cucinella main entryway," Waskis said.

The referendum, which was voted on by voters back in March, approved $28.8 million in funding for district-wide renovation projects such as infrastructure upgrades, classroom renovations and instructional additions.

Prior to the vote, district officials had said that the state of New Jersey had agreed to fund 40 percent of the referendum.

If the referendum had failed, the state will not provide more than $11 million in state aid to the schools. Furthermore, whether or not the referendum passes, the items on the project list will need to be addressed at some point, according to the district.

In terms of the public impact of the referendum vote, the district explained there would be little impact on taxpayers. The existing debt service from the 2003 referendum will be paid off in July 2023, and since the district has no other long-term debt, the new debt will replace the old debt.

According to the results recorded by Morris County’s Election Division, the referendum received the following numbers on March 14:

• Question No. 1: Yes received 901 votes. No recorded 793

A total of 1,694 ballots were cast of the 15,621 registered voters, according to Morris County.

The projects included in the referendum are as follows:

• Long Valley Middle School
  • Installation of a generator
  • HVAC upgrades inclusive of air conditioning & asbestos abatement of floor tile
  • Court renovations
  • Renovation of unused space for STEM program & PAC upgrades
  • Electrical upgrades
  • renovated public address system
  • New paving/sidewalks
  • Renovations to the Culinary Arts Room
• Flocktown-Kossmann Elementary School
  • Installation of air conditioning in Flocktown
  • HVAC upgrades include air conditioning in Kossmann
  • New boiler in Kossmann
  • New windows in Kossmann
  • Enhanced storage for classrooms in both buildings
  • Renovation of media center for the STEM program in both buildings
  • Electrical upgrades in both buildings
  • Roof replacement in both buildings
  • New paving/sidewalks
• Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School
  • Renovation of Media Center for STEM program
  • New paving/drainage enhancements
  • Rebuilt front pillars & steel painting
  • Outdoor upgrades
• Old Farmer's Road Elementary School
  • New paving/sidewalks
  • Enhanced storage for classrooms
  • Renovation of the media center for STEM program