The Hopewell Valley Regional School District Superintendent, Dr. Rosetta Treece, addresses the community ahead of the September 17 bond referendum vote, emphasizing that the need for expanded school space and maintenance goes beyond new housing developments and enrollment growth. Treece highlights critical infrastructure and safety upgrades that are essential regardless of student numbers. Read her full message to understand the bigger picture at stake:
Much attention has been focused on the school bond referendum as it relates to the municipal use of agreements known as PILOTs. As superintendent of Hopewell Valley Regional School District, I am compelled to remind community members of the bigger picture in our schools and on the September 17 ballot.
PILOT stands for Payment in Lieu of Taxes, and a municipality can grant that arrangement to a land developer. It means a payment will be made to the municipality rather than tax collections that are spread to all entities, including the school district. In this case, the municipality will get the lion’s share of funding as new homes are built, and HVRSD will have to find space and funding as more students move in. Reasoning for the school bond referendum does not begin there, and it does not end there. The focus should not be there.
The need for expanded space is driven by enrollment that has already risen and teaching approaches that have already evolved. HVRSD has adjusted to use every space available – including older modular classrooms that are not ideal learning environments. We want to move students out of trailers and into the main building whether or not new housing developments send even more students through our doors. Adding instructional space at two elementary schools is only a part of the referendum. The majority of proposed projects have no connection to enrollment levels. Leaky roofs, inefficient heating/cooling systems, and doors that do not meet safety standards need to be addressed no matter how many students are in the schools. Additional building needs include a sewer pumping station, backup wells, and accessible restrooms – all of these are unrelated to enrollment.
Our fiscally conservative budgets have deferred these maintenance items for years. In fact, some were considered for the 2016 referendum and struck from that list to keep costs down. We are at the point in the road where that can has been kicked. A voter-approved referendum would bring $20 million in state funding to address these needs. Comments back and forth indicate wide understanding that new housing development will lead to even more students for the schools of Hopewell Valley. We want voters to understand that so much more is at stake on September 17, when the special vote will take place. Get the full picture at hvrsd.org/vote.
