Hopewell Valley Board Signals Support for Two-Part Referendum to Address Critical Facilities Needs

The Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education signaled support this week for an $84.2 million facilities referendum that district leaders say is necessary to address aging infrastructure and growing elementary enrollment.

At its June 17 meeting, the board reviewed a revised two-question referendum structure, scheduled for a public vote Nov. 4. While no formal action was taken, members voiced informal consensus and are expected to vote on the final ballot language in July, pending state approvals.

The first question, totaling $58.4 million, would fund critical building system repairs, safety upgrades, and compliance improvements at all six schools. The second, at $25.8 million, would add classroom wings at Bear Tavern and Toll Gate elementary schools to eliminate aging modular units and relieve overcrowding.

“We were charged with finding the most critical items that needed to be replaced—things that, if they failed, could result in having to close a school,” said Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece. “We pared down the list, but with inflation and new emergencies, the total cost remains close to last year’s failed referendum.”

Some projects from the 2024 proposal were removed, including a synthetic turf field at Timberlane and a CHS restroom/concession building. But others were added in response to breakdowns, such as HVAC upgrades at three of the elementary schools, a boiler replacement at Toll Gate, and fixes to the Toll Gate nurses suite.

Question 1: Urgent Infrastructure Upgrades

Assistant Superintendent for Finance Robert Colavita detailed the upgrades under Question 1 including:

• HVAC replacements at all six schools
• Partial roofing replacement and repair at all six schools
• Sewer pumping station renovation at Bear Tavern
• Drainage repairs at Stony Brook Elementary
• ADA-compliant restroom renovations at Bear Tavern and Hopewell Elementary
• Fire-rated door replacements at Bear Tavern and Hopewell Elementary
• Paving and driveway repairs at Toll Gate and the solar lot at the high school
• Air conditioning installation in Timberlane’s auxiliary gym—the only non‑air-conditioned space in the district

“These are not cosmetic projects,” Colavita said. “They are operational needs tied to student safety, accessibility, and building integrity.”

These $58.4 million in Question 1 projects are eligible for up to 40% in state aid, reducing the local cost to about $35 million.

Question 2: Classroom Expansions for Enrollment Growth

Question 2 proposes $25.8 million for classroom additions at Bear Tavern and Toll Gate to replace modular units and meet increasing demand.

“These additions will help reduce crowding in our lower grades and eliminate the use of temporary classrooms,” Treece said. 

Both Bear Tavern and Toll Gate use aging temporary classrooms every day for classes. 

However, these projects qualify for just 1.5% reimbursement, leaving nearly $25.4 million to be funded locally.

Estimated Tax Impact and the Role of PILOT Funding

Hopewell Township has committed $16.1 million in PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) revenue to help fund the Bear Tavern classroom addition. The money would come from new development projects which generate PILOT payments instead of traditional property taxes. However, the availability of those funds is contingent on the resolution of ongoing litigation with Pennington Borough, which has challenged how the township allocates PILOT dollars. Hopewell Borough was also party to the suit but has since exited the litigation.

If the lawsuit is resolved and the PILOT contribution is applied to the Bear Tavern portion of the referendum, it would help offset the cost of debt service, ultimately lowering the tax burden on residents. However, as Assistant Superintendent for Finance Robert Colavita emphasized, the full bond amount—$84.2 million—would still be issued since decisions on what will be in the referendum have to be made in July. So, PILOT funds would be used to reduce annual payments, not to reduce the total debt itself.

Colavita provided detailed tax estimates for each municipality based on whether voters approve just Question 1 or both questions:

These figures reflect the average annual tax increase for the typical assessed home in each municipality if the questions are approved.

Board and Public Reactions

Board members broadly supported the two-question approach.

“The referendum helps us clear the backlog,” said Dr. Alex Reznik. “Question 1 is the bare minimum to keep everything running. Question 2 is the added capacity we need.”

Reznik warned that all schools could feel the effects if Question 2 fails.

“Folks in the Stony Brook area and Hopewell Elementary shouldn’t say, ‘That’s not our issue,’” he added. “Their class sizes will go up as well.”

Former Hopewell Township Mayor John Edwards urged the district to combat disinformation.

“You need to get out in front of this,” he said. “The same forces that were busy at work last time have been busy at work again.”

Community member Kate Hamm asked whether the district should consider combining the questions into one, “because we are one Hopewell Valley.”

Youth Initiatives & Equity Efforts

The board also heard from the Hopewell Valley Youth Advisory Board, which presented new mental health check-in tools for students. Their work is expected to continue next year and the Board discussed ways they can all work together to help students. 

Board member Dhruv Kapadia reported efforts to secure $125,000 in state funding for a new ADA-accessible playground at Bear Tavern and that the project has advanced in the state budget. Whether or not it’ll make it through is still to be determined but it has advanced through committees in Trenton. 

Next Steps

The board is scheduled to vote at the July 21 meeting on the final referendum package and ballot wording. The meeting will be at 6:30pm at the district office.