Registration Ends Soon To Vote In $26M West Morris Regional Referendum

MENDHAM/CHESTER, NJ — Residents in the West Morris Regional High School District who want to cast their ballot in the upcoming referendum need to be registered to vote by Feb. 20.

The vote, which was approved by the Board of Education in December, is scheduled for March 12. Voters will be asked if the school should issue $26 million in bonds to fund improvements and updates around the district.

Officials said taxpayers would get an average 35 percent reduction in the school debt part of their property tax bills if the issue passes, compared to the current bond issue that taxpayers are paying off.

Residents in Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, and Washington Township are eligible to vote. In-person voting will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 12, which is also the last day for vote-by-mail ballots to be postmarked.

The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot by mail is March 5.

According to district officials, if voters approve the referendum, both schools would receive significant similar upgrades, including air conditioning in all classrooms, cafeteria and kitchen upgrades, and roof and parking lot repairs.

The $26 million plan also includes updates to both schools' technology labs and the field house shower and storage facilities. The West Morris Mendham culinary arts room would be refurbished to improve student learning and meet student interest, and the public address system would be upgraded to match West Morris Central's.

According to district officials, West Morris Regional is in the unique position of presenting voters with a plan that would decrease school debt taxes by about 35 percent.

Because the district is nearing the end of its debt payments from the last referendum, which was passed in 2004, if the current referendum is approved, taxpayers will still pay less than they did before.

Click here to see more details on Patch.