Community Forum On Wayne's $169M Referendum Scheduled

WAYNE, NJ — A community forum discussing the forthcoming $169.8 million bond proposal aimed at enhancing facilities across all 15 schools within the K–12 district is scheduled to take place on Feb. 15.

This event welcomes all parents and members of the community to participate.

The school district established this community forum to ensure that residents are fully informed about the projects associated with this referendum and have ample opportunity to share questions and feedback.

This informative session will start at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, at Wayne Hills High School Auditorium, 272 Berdan Ave. Additionally, the district will send a postcard to every household in the township as part of its outreach to all people who are eligible to vote.

“This is one important way that the Board of Education will inform the Wayne Township community about the bond referendum,” Superintendent Dr. Mark Toback said. “We are also planning a community forum with in-person, virtual and recorded options to be as convenient as possible for voters to learn more.”

On March 12, Wayne Township voters will be asked to approve the sale of bonds for as much as $170 million, with state aid already committed to covering $39 million of those costs.

Referendum is another term for voting. A bond referendum is a vote in which residents will decide whether Wayne Township Public Schools may fund the proposed projects by issuing bonds worth $169.8 million.

If voters approve, the district will be able to sell bonds, which will be repaid over time through property taxes.

This approach is frequently used by school districts to borrow money, spread out building expenditures, and obtain state help that is only accessible with a passing vote.

District officials stated that they are known for maintaining a high standard of education and providing kids with several opportunities to succeed.

However, the district's newest schools are almost 60 years old, meaning that they all require considerable repairs and renovations. In addition, to accommodate the community's rising population, the 100-year-old Preakness Early Childhood Center could be expanded to serve PreK–5 pupils.

As part of its long-range facility planning, the district began the process by conducting a comprehensive facility assessment of all district buildings. Professional advisers evaluated all school buildings to determine what repairs and upgrades were high priorities for the district.

To best position the district's schools for the future, the bond referendum addresses:

• Roof repairs and replacements are at almost every school, and window replacements at many schools. These affect the “building envelope” that protects everything inside and contributes to energy efficiency.
• Upgrades and replacements of building systems, including plumbing, mechanical, electrical, heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC), In addition to reducing repair risks and increasing cost efficiency, these systems play a significant role in health and safety.
• Two-stage security entrances (vestibules) at schools that do not have them now.
• New exterior bleachers at both high schools.
• Significant added space at the Preakness Early Childhood Center to accommodate rising enrollment. It would transform into a PreK–5 school with three classrooms at each grade level and dedicated classrooms for early childhood special education programs.

According to district officials, the 62 projects are designed to bolster security, promote energy conservation, and accommodate the expected increase in enrollment. The Board of Education has said that they have been diligently monitoring an anticipated rise in enrollment for years.

School officials previously said the referendum would be "a fiscally responsible strategy" to help fund a multitude of infrastructure and facilities projects that will improve and/or update facilities at every Wayne Township district school.

"A voter-approved bond referendum is the only way to secure a specific type of state aid to fund a portion of the project costs," the board said.