$23.9M Point Pleasant Beach School Facilities Referendum: What To Know

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Point Pleasant Beach voters will be asked to weigh in on a proposed $23.9 million package of facilities repairs and upgrades for the district.

Here is what to know ahead of the Dec. 12 referendum, including what's in the proposal, the financial impact, and where to get more information.

School district officials have scheduled information sessions on the project:

• 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at G. Harold Antrim Elementary School
• Noon on Friday, Dec. 1 at Point Pleasant Beach High School
• 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at G. Harold Antrim Elementary School

The proposed projects

The following items are proposed in the package.

At G. Harold Antrim Elementary:

• Repairs to the building envelope at Antrim, including cleaning masonry, repairing brick, replacing and repairing stairs and lintels (lintels are the horizontal support across the top of a door or window).
• Security access controls at all exterior doors
• A new fire alarm system (upgraded to current technology)
• New corridor flooring that reflects the schools' colors
• New LED lighting (for energy efficiency)
• Hall locker upgrades with new paint and new locks as needed
• Updating the stage lighting in the auditorium
• Renovating the existing locker rooms.

The locker rooms at Antrim have showers that have not been used in years, and instead are being used for storage. There are leaks in the ceiling in the showers that have to be repaired, and those spaces would be turned into useful spaces. The sinks in the locker rooms also are more than 20 years old.

At the high school:

• New high efficiency boilers would be installed for heating
• Hallways would get new flooring that shows the school's colors
• New LED lighting would be installed, which will save on energy costs
• Hall lockers would be upgraded with new paint and new locks as needed
• A classroom that serves the food, fashion and child care courses would be updated with new equipment and new items that are in step with the current times. The classroom hasn't been updated in about 20 years.

The tennis courts at the high school, which are unstable and badly deteriorating, would be removed and replaced with an outdoor space that would serve multiple uses. It would include an outdoor classroom area and could include items such as a space for yoga classes. It would have tables for students to eat and relax outdoors during their lunch period, and area where phys ed classes could be held for things like badminton or ultimate Frisbee.

The athletic complex at Antrim:

• New tennis courts, which would be available for use for pickleball as well as tennis.
• The football field would become a turf field.
• The track surface would be replaced.
• The bleachers would be replaced, and mobile bleachers would be purchased for other sporting events.
• A new concession seating area would be created
• An inclusive playground for special needs students as well as general education students
• A basketball court
• A maintenance building.

A field house and collaborative educational center.

• A basketball court
• A turf field (half size) for football, soccer, softball
• A multipurpose area for strength and conditioning, wrestling
• New team rooms
• Teacher and staff wellness areas
• A multipurpose meeting room to be used for occupational and physical therapy and music, which does not have a dedicated room. The room would be used for professional development sessions and the Board of Education, including meetings. The multipurpose room also would be able to be used by the community.
• Offices for the administration and child study team.

Read more: Point Pleasant Beach Schools $23.9M Referendum Projects: First Look

The district has information on the proposal on its website, including a slide show that was presented to the Board of Education in September.

Financial impact of the proposal

Funding for the proposed $23.9 million package includes $2 million from the Point Pleasant Beach school district's capital reserves and $2 million in state aid.

Bonds for $21.9 million would be issued; the state aid would offset the debt service.

In addition, if voters approve the package, resident Robert Sickel, owner of the Pine Belt auto franchise, has said he will donate $1 million to be used to reduce the debt service.

The tax impact would be $420 per year or $35.25 per month for a home assessed at the median $569,391 value in Point Pleasant Beach.

If the package is rejected

Point Pleasant Beach Superintendent William Smith and business administrator Brian Savage said if the proposed package is rejected, repairs to the buildings still will need to be made but the district will lose out on state aid that will offset part of the costs.

Voting information

The referendum is set for Tuesday, Dec. 12. Polls will be open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

View the sample ballot here.

Voters can obtain vote-by-mail ballots by mail from the Ocean County Clerk's Office. Mailed requests must be received by the clerk's office by close of business on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be obtained in person until 3 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 11.

Vote-by-mail ballots can be dropped off at the following secure drop boxes.

• Point Pleasant Borough Library, 834 Beaver Dam Road, Point Pleasant
• Lavallette Library (Upper Shores), 112 Jersey City Avenue, Lavallette
• Ocean County Parking Garage, 3rd Floor, Madison Avenue, Toms River
• Ocean County Courthouse, 118 Washington Street, Toms River

They must be deposited by 8 p.m. on Dec. 12. If they are sent by U.S. Postal Service, they must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Dec. 12 and received by the Ocean County Board of Elections by Dec. 18.