The Hopewell Township Committee voted unanimously on April 14 to formally pledge up to $16.1 million in PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) funds to support improvements at Bear Tavern Elementary School—potentially clearing the way for the school district to remove the project from a potential referendum being explored for this fall.
The commitment, long discussed but now made official, hinges on one critical condition: the end of ongoing litigation between the Township and the boroughs of Hopewell and Pennington over how PILOT revenues are shared. The funds would be used by the Hopewell Valley Regional School District to construct a 10-classroom addition at Bear Tavern, where enrollment has surged and outdated trailers are still in use.
The proposed project would add ten pre-K and kindergarten classrooms with restrooms, including one replacement room, and dedicated space for small-group instruction and student services like speech and Child Study Team support. The one-story, 19,000-square-foot addition is being designed with infrastructure for a future second floor. The estimated project cost is $16.1 million.
“From day one, the Township has been clear: PILOT revenues from Hopewell Parc should support Bear Tavern,” said Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning. “We are thrilled to have identified a legal mechanism that would allow us to directly fund these essential improvements.”
The district has been preparing a revised referendum for this November that would include infrastructure upgrades across all schools. A similar referendum failed last year. With the Township’s contribution, the Bear Tavern expansion could be pulled from the ballot proposal, easing the overall cost and scope.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rosetta Treece spoke during the public comment period of the meeting and called the Township’s action a meaningful first step. “I’m grateful for this resolution,” she said. “We’ve already added 75 students across the district this year, and it has had an impact on class size.”
Board of Education President Anita Williams Galiano echoed the Superintendent’s comments during public comment that the District is grateful for the commitment and said the committee’s action helps rebuild momentum. “The impact of the disagreements is more than the $16.1 million—we lost time and opportunity being a year behind,” she said. “Some of the misinformation being posted out there puts the PILOT issue in the district’s lap. And this was never in our control.”
Committee members emphasized that a recent change in state law enables municipalities to back school capital projects using PILOT funds, without requiring a public referendum. Councilman David Chait, a Bear Tavern parent, said, “I’m thrilled the Township is in a position to contribute to these long-overdue upgrades. Our commitment to do so has been clear since the beginning.”
Councilwoman Uma Purandare added, “It’s important that new development supports needed investments—without shifting the burden to existing taxpayers. As a parent of two students who’ve benefited from Hopewell Valley schools, I support this plan to invest in the next generation of excellence.”
Councilman Kevin Kuchinski said the plan reflects both educational and fiscal responsibility. “While Hopewell Parc won’t exceed the District’s existing classroom capacity, we believe this is the right thing to do,” he said. “These investments will move students into real classrooms and provide long-term benefits to the community. PILOT revenues from Lennar should be used to help fund this expansion.”
Although the Committee’s vote makes the pledge official, the funds remain unavailable until the legal dispute over PILOT revenue is resolved. “The only thing standing in the way of delivering this critical funding to our schools is continued legal action by Hopewell and Pennington Boroughs,” said Councilman Michael Ruger. “We respectfully urge them to withdraw their lawsuit so we can do what’s right for our students.”
As of publication, officials from both Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough told MercerMe they are reviewing the resolution and hope to have updates soon.
