Special Referendum Election Discussed By West Morris Regional BOE

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The West Morris Regional High School District Board of Education has been discussing allowing a special school referendum election to be held this spring.

The special school district election would take place on March 12, according to officials.

During the Nov. 13 board of education meeting, members decided overwhelmingly to begin the process of generating financing for a range of improvements at both West Morris Mendham and West Morris Central.

The projects, which were not on the agenda for the board of education meeting, have all been evaluated and approved by the New Jersey Department of Education, officials said. The school board has also issued a preliminary acceptable cost letter, authorizing the projects and determining the acceptable costs for each project.

"The Board of Education of the West Morris Regional High School District, in the County of Morris, New Jersey, is authorized: (a) to provide for renovations, alterations and improvements at Central High School and Mendham High School, including acquisition and installation of fixtures, furnishings and equipment, site work, and related work and costs; (b) to appropriate $26,047,276 for such purposes and (c) to issue bonds of the school district therefor in the principal amount of $26,047,276," the agenda for the Dec. 11 meeting said.

The total eligible cost of these improvements, as authorized by this bond proposal and approved by the Commissioner of Education, is $23,480,321, the district said.

West Morris Central High School would receive $10,550,579, while Mendham High School would receive $12,929,742.

"The proposed improvements include $1,282,838 allocated to Central High School and $1,284,117 allocated to Mendham High School for elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner of Education or not otherwise eligible for state support," the bond proposal question stated.

The state debt service aid percentage will be 40 percent of the annual debt service owed on the projects' ultimate qualified expenses. According to the agenda, the West Morris Regional Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election.

According to Barbara Sargent, the Superintendent of Schools for the West Morris Regional High School District, the school district is currently in the process of compiling communication materials for community members regarding the specifics of the projects.

The school board will discuss the special election further at its meeting on Dec. 11. For further information, please visit this page.