Faced with a July deadline for finalizing referendum questions and ongoing legal uncertainty over $16.1 million in funding, the Hopewell Valley Regional Board of Education engaged in an extended discussion at their regular meeting on Mon., May 19 about how to structure a facilities referendum that addresses both the district’s aging infrastructure and its space needs.
The current plan under consideration totals approximately $85 million, divided between about $60 million for critical repairs across all the buildings and roughly $25 million for additions at Bear Tavern Elementary and Toll Gate Grammar School. The additions add classroom space as part of the school instead of the aging trailers that both schools are using as classrooms. The referendum would likely appear as one or two questions on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.
Board member Mark Peters opened the discussion with a passionate update, explaining that while some elements from earlier proposals had been removed, the cost has not come down significantly. “Even though we reduced things, the number isn’t dramatically lower,” he said. “And it’s because we’re still trying to fix the same broken systems—just a year later, with inflation in play.”
Peters also addressed the board’s lack of clarity around the $16.1 million Hopewell Township has pledged to contribute to the project through PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) revenue. That contribution remains contingent on the resolution of ongoing litigation with Pennington Borough. Hopewell Borough has dropped out of the lawsuit and signaled support for moving forward. However, the $16.1 million cannot be used unless Pennington ends the litigation, leaving the district unable to access a potential offset that could help lower the overall referendum cost to taxpayers.
“We are going to go to you, the voting populace, with a number that we’re not happy going to you with,” Peters said. “And it’s because our three forms of government can’t get their act together and sit in a room together.”
The discussion came during the finance committee report. Before the meeting the fifth building tour of the year happened at Timberlane Middle School as part of a strategy to hold meetings in different school buildings to publicly highlight the depth of facility issues. Tours have included walkthroughs of all the elementary and middle school buildings, where residents and board members alike have seen and heard about aging heating and air conditioning units, failing infrastructure, and leaking roofs. The repairs at Timberlane are projected to cost more than $20 million. Those improvements include major HVAC replacements, plumbing and drainage fixes, exterior upgrades, and critical roofing and electrical work.
“If something major breaks, we may have to close a school,” Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece said, warning that emergency repairs could cost millions and disrupt learning. A major system failure—such as a heating, cooling, or sewer breakdown—could result in the temporary closure of a school and potentially force students into remote learning or overcrowded classrooms elsewhere in the district.
Following a lengthy public comment period largely focused on the district’s recently reinstated extracurricular activity fees and cutbacks to some arts programs, board member Dr. Alex Reznik urged residents to take a broader view of the financial strain the district is facing. Reznik warned that the district is nearing a breaking point.
His warning echoed a broader trend unfolding across New Jersey. Several districts—facing steep state aid cuts, rising costs, and declining enrollment—are making difficult decisions to stay solvent. Toms River, Lakewood, Evesham, and others have proposed or enacted measures such as school closures, layoffs, and the sale of property. In Evesham, for example, more than 80 teaching and staff positions are slated for elimination, while Middletown is considering closing two elementary schools. Similar stories are emerging in Plainfield, Jackson, Wayne, and Passaic. These examples underscore the mounting fiscal pressure many districts are facing statewide.
“Every $100,000 we spend on something other than a staff salary is a staff member we lose,” Reznik said. “This is not the end of the pain—it’s just the beginning. If we want to limit the pain, we need to start paying attention to what the board is actually putting forward.”
Peters outlined four options the board is considering:
- A single ballot question covering the full $85 million scope.
- Two separate questions: one for infrastructure, one for additions.
- A single question for just the critical infrastructure.
- No referendum this fall.
Board members expressed initial support for a two-question referendum, which would allow voters to approve essential repairs even if they were hesitant to support expansions.
The board must decide on its preferred structure by July to meet state deadlines for inclusion on the November ballot. The district is planning a public tour of Hopewell Valley Central High School in September to give residents an opportunity to see the needs firsthand. They will also find other ways to give tours of the buildings so people can view some of the items that need to be fixed.
