Vote Yes Or No Tuesday On Major Improvements To Manalapan Schools

MANALAPAN, NJ — Manalapan/Englishtown residents, you will be asked to vote on Tuesday, Dec. 11 on a series of planned improvements to your local public schools.

The most noticeable improvement — should the referendum pass — will be the building of four new kindergarten classes at Lafayette Mills elementary, which will cost $5.2 million, according to estimates from the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District.

The biggest expenditure will be the installation of emergency generators at all six schools in the district (Clark Mills School, John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, Lafayette Mills School, Milford Brook School, Pine Brook School and Taylor Mills School), to the tune of $21.8 million. However, this is vitally needed, the district says, so the schools can remain open if there is a power failure. The district also want to replace the fire alarm systems at all six schools, as they say the current alarm system is aging.

They also want to put in energy-efficient windows at Clark Mills School, replace the AC unit at the early learning center with a more efficient and quieter unit, and replace exhaust fans and lighting fixtures at all the schools.

The district also wants to improve the kitchen area and redesign the front parking lot at Lafayette Mills.

Some of the costs of these planned improvements will be offset by state aid. But property taxes will go up, should the referendum pass. The school district estimates taxes will go up, on average, in Manalapan by $170 and in Englishtown by $130, per the value of an average assessed home.

Vote Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018; voting hours are from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. Click HERE for the voting locations.

Straight from the district, here are the three proposals and their costs:

PROPOSAL NO. 1
The Board of Education of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District in the County of Monmouth, New Jersey is authorized: (a) to provide for the construction of additions, renovations, and alterations at Lafayette Mills School, including acquisition and installation of furnishings, fixtures, equipment and site work; (b) to appropriate $3,540,000 for such improvements; and (c) to issue bonds of the School District in the principal amount of $3,540,000.

The final eligible costs of the improvements approved by the Commissioner of Education are $90,000. The State debt service aid percentage will equal 40% of the annual debt service due with respect to the final eligible costs of the projects. The proposed improvements include $858,000 for school facility construction elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner of Education or not otherwise eligible for State support pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7G-5(g). The Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election.

This is what that actually means: These funds will allow us to add four additional kindergarten classrooms to Lafayette Mills School, make needed improvements to the kitchen area and redesign the front parking lot.

Referendum Amount $3,540,000

Length of Bond Issue 20 years

Estimated Interest Rate 4.00%

Debt Service Aid 0.86%

Total Overall Cost before State Aid $5,258,800

Total Overall Cost with State Aid $5,213,574

PROPOSAL NO. 2
The Board of Education of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District in the County of Monmouth, New Jersey is authorized: (a) to provide for the renovations, alterations, and improvements at Clark Mills School, John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, Lafayette Mills School, Milford Brook School, Pine Brook School, and Taylor Mills School, including acquisition and installation of furnishings, fixtures, equipment and site work; (b) to appropriate $14,688,000 for such improvements; and (c) to issue bonds of the School District in the principal amount of $14,688,000.

The final eligible costs of the improvements approved by the Commissioner of Education are $14,688,000 (consisting of $3,922,000 for Clark Mills School, $2,369,000 for John I. Dawes Early Learning Center, $1,755,000 for Lafayette Mills School, $1,889,000 for Milford Brook School, $2,604,000 for Pine Brook School and $2,149,000 for Taylor Mills School). The State debt service aid percentage will equal 40% of the annual debt service due with respect to the final eligible costs of the projects. The proposed improvements include $0 for school facility construction elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner of Education or not otherwise eligible for State support pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7G-5(g). The Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election.

This is what that actually means: These funds will allow us to install emergency generators at six schools so those schools can remain open if there is a power failure, to replace six aging fire alarm systems, to replace windows at Clark Mills School with energy efficient windows, to replace the AC unit at the ELC with a more efficient and quieter unit, replacement of aging exhaust fans at 5 schools and the replacement of all lighting fixtures to LED at 6 schools which are much more efficient.

Referendum Amount $14,688,000

Length of Bond Issue 20 years

Estimated Interest Rate 4.00%

Debt Service Aid 34.00%

Total Overall Cost before State Aid $21,828,240

Total Overall Cost with State Aid $14,406,638

PROPOSAL NO. 3
The Board of Education of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District in the County of Monmouth, New Jersey is authorized: (a) to provide for the renovations, alterations, and improvements, including the replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems at Clark Mills School, Lafayette Mills School, Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School, Milford Brook School, Pine Brook School, and Taylor Mills School, including acquisition and installation of fixtures, equipment and site work; (b) to appropriate $16,371,000 for such improvements; and (c) to issue bonds of the School District in the principal amount of $16,371,000.

The final eligible costs of the improvements approved by the Commissioner of Education are $16,371,000 (consisting of $3,289,000 for Clark Mills School, $2,520,000 for Lafayette Mills School, $1,082,000 for Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School, $3,908,000 for Milford Brook School, $2,954,000 for Pine Brook School and $2,618,000 for Taylor Mills School). The State debt service aid percentage will equal 40% of the annual debt service due with respect to the final eligible costs of the projects. The proposed improvements include $0 for school facility construction elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner of Education or not otherwise eligible for State support pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7G-5(g). The Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election.

This is what that actually means: All schools will have 100% air conditioning.

Referendum Amount $16,371,000

Length of Bond Issue 20 years

Estimated Interest Rate 4.00%

Debt Service Aid 34.00%

Total Overall Cost before State Aid $24,334,880

Total Overall Cost with State Aid $16,061,021

Learn more from the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School district here: https://www.mersnj.us/referend...

Photo supplied by the school district.