Mendham $20M School Bond Proposal Leads In Election

MENDHAM, NJ — Initial returns in Tuesday's election showed the Mendham Township School District's $19.9 million special election bond proposal leading as mail-in votes continued to be accepted through Monday.

Bond funding in the amount of $19,903,197 would enable the school district to use state aid to save 37 percent on costs for “critical upgrades,” including replacing rooftops, finishing paving projects, updating building entrances and improving accessibility.

Some 803 voters said "yes" in the referendum on Tuesday’s Election Day and in vote-by-mail ballots; 285 voted “no,” according to unofficial results posted on the Morris County Clerk’s website.

Some 1,089 ballots, or 19.7 percent of the township's 5,520 registered voters, have been counted so far.

“We knew the citizens of Mendham Township felt strongly that their exceptional schools are of significant value to the community," Superintendent of Schools Salvatore M. Constantino said Wednesday in a statement to Patch. "It is gratifying to see that support reflected in the poll numbers.”

Dale Kramer, administrator of the Board of Elections, told Patch on Wednesday that vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Tuesday, as well as provisional ballots, needed to be in by Monday to be counted.

All ballots received so far have been processed, Kramer added.

Final results will be given to the County Clerk’s office on Tuesday, she said.

With the state aid covering approximately 37 percent of the costs, township businesses and residents “will get nearly $7.4 million of it back,” Constantino said.

According to figures released by both the school district and the township, the new debt amount, which is reported to be lower than expiring debt, was expected to decrease taxes by $97 per household, based on a Mendham Township property assessment of $905,519.

“Residents will benefit from $19.9 million in school improvements while still realizing a school debt tax decrease,” Constantino said.

“So much research and community engagement went into the planning for this bond proposal, and we were confident that a bond referendum was the most financially responsible and time-efficient approach to accomplish the district’s goals,” said Constantino.

Voters learned more about the projects and bond financing through virtual forums, in-person fairs and information on the district’s referendum website, he said.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com