To the Editor:
We are very proud of our students and staff at Hopewell Valley Regional School District. The Nov. 4 referendum is a plan to ensure they have the basics of safe and comfortable schools – starting with reliable roofs over their heads.
The realities of living with aging infrastructure include: Students being displaced from their classroom when the old heating system broke down; parents and grandparents struggling through a school move-up ceremony during an air conditioning failure in June; a teacher sharing a presentation on Back to School Night as rainwater leaked onto her projector. Question 1 of the referendum addresses these building issues and others.
Our school community deserves functional buildings. As enrollment continues to grow, we need the space to move students out of trailers at Bear Tavern and Toll Gate schools and serve their modern educational needs. We know, without question, the impact of the PILOT programs on our student population is just beginning to be felt and, by all accounts, we are trending near or above the “high-growth” model from the 2022 demographic study. Space needs are in Question 2 of the referendum.
Here are some ways the referendum would help us accomplish this, with the help of $20.2 million in state aid that’s only available through bond funding. When PILOT litigation against Hopewell Township is resolved, the district will receive another $16.1 million that the municipality has committed to the Bear Tavern expansion; this would be used to pay down the debt service.
- The proposed expansions would add 8 to 10 classrooms at Bear Tavern and 6 classrooms at Toll Gate. The plan would create the types of spaces we need for our student population. The proposed Bear Tavern addition includes classrooms with bathrooms, which is a requirement to move preschool students from trailers into the school building. The additions also would provide more space for in-demand small-group instruction and other student support services. Plus, we would keep class sizes manageable and reduce the level of redistricting – both of which are priorities for our community.
- NJ Department of Education capacity models have not been updated for more than 20 years and do not account for all modern educational considerations.
- Old roofing that allows disruptive leaks in classrooms and other instructional spaces would be replaced. As shown in architects’ presentations, only roof areas with warranty expiration years of 2026 or earlier are being replaced. Much of this roofing is in poor condition and at the end of its useful life.
- Much like a car warranty, a roofing warranty applies to specific circumstances, not normal wear and tear. Roofing warranties primarily cover material defects and workmanship.
- The existing roofing warranties are prorated, meaning they provide less coverage as roofs age.
- All the work proposed in the referendum is beyond the scope of what a warranty would address. The targeted roofing areas need to be replaced, not repaired.
- Paving projects would also address time-sensitive needs. The solar parking lot at Central High School needs to be repaved. Driveway modifications at Toll Gate are a safety issue: The project would create more space for pedestrians and for any emergency vehicles to access the rear of the property, where the playground is located.
- If voters approve the referendum, the district will borrow bonds for a 20-year term. Some have questioned whether the asphalt in the paving projects will hold up through that time span.
- The American Society of Civil Engineers indicates the life cycle of full reconstruction asphalt surfacing as 15 to 25 years. While a top surface could require milling and topping within the 20-year span of the bond borrowing term, the underlying pavement should remain sound. The state aid that comes with an approved referendum will offset a significant portion of the overall cost.
The bond referendum is a straightforward strategy to simultaneously improve our schools and reduce the amount needed from taxpayers. The proposal would address the real experiences of students and staff inside our schools, who deserve adequate space in buildings that are functional and comfortable, continuing the standard our community has grown accustomed to from our Board and Administration.
With Thanks,
Mark Peters
Hopewell Borough
NOTE: Mark Peters is a member of the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education and Chair of the Finance and Facilities Committee. However, this commentary was written in his capacity as a private citizen, and not in his capacity as a board member.
