Voters OK $20M Bond For Mendham Borough School Upgrades

MENDHAM, NJ — With a heavy majority of votes in favor of the school bond referendum, Mendham Borough district officials declared early Wednesday that the referendum has passed.

Residents of Mendham Borough headed to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of the proposal, with more than 1,000 votes in support of the bond referendum, according to the Morris County Clerk's Office.

As of Tuesday night, the tally showed 701 votes in favor and 203 opposed for Question 1, and 601 votes in favor and 300 opposed for Question 2. The totals will be updated in the coming days as officials count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day and verify provisional ballots, officials said.

A total of 906 votes were cast, representing about 20 percent of voter turnout.

“On behalf of our district administration and the Board of Education, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to community members for taking the time to learn about this proposal and voting,” said Superintendent Dr. Mitzi Morillo.

With voter approval, the Mendham Borough School District can now fund the projects through $19.3 million in bond financing. State aid, available only with an approved referendum, will contribute $3.39 million toward the cost, helping to reduce the local tax burden.

For homeowners with an average property assessment of $693,518, this will result in an estimated $22 per month in school debt taxes. This increase to school debt tax would not be assessed until the previous bond is paid off in July 2026.

The district has offered a chart for homeowners to find their assessed value and estimate their updated tax bill here.

According to district officials, the funding will support several key improvements, including adding a security vestibule and replacing windows at Mountain View School, creating a new fifth-grade science lab, and updating science labs and the Hilltop library. It will also replace lights, roofing, windows, and boilers to boost energy efficiency.

With the passage of the second question, a 384-seat auditorium will be built at Mountain View Middle School, allowing Mendham Borough to expand its performing arts education and related courses, including public speaking, performance, production and technical skills.

The new auditorium would not only serve as a venue for events like Promotion (graduation), which is currently held offsite at West Morris Regional High School, but also for school assemblies and other activities.

With the referendum passed, the Mendham Borough School District will move forward with the projects. "Our professional consultants will begin by selling the bonds at the most favorable rate," officials said.

Architects and engineers will develop project specifications for the bidding process, with contracts awarded to the lowest qualified bidders, in accordance with state regulations.

The district said they will continue to provide ongoing updates to the community throughout the process.

Click here to read a more detailed breakdown of the referendum.