The district and Board designed the March 12 proposal to meet all of the district’s most immediate needs, and to do so with upfront funding and the help of state aid.  

If voters do not approve the referendum, the district will have to determine its next steps to fund needed improvements.  

The timeline for holding a referendum is largely out of the district’s control. If the district and Board opted to move forward with another referendum, the process would start from square one, with consultants preparing a new proposal for Board approval, then submitting paperwork for state review and coordinating with the county to hold an election. The state review process alone typically takes several months. 

State aid and changing market costs are other variables. There’s no guarantee that the state would award as high a percentage of aid for a future proposal as it did for the current package of improvements. Construction expenses typically go up, so a delay of a year or more would likely increase the cost of the projects. Therefore, in delaying the process, we run the risk of cutting projects without significant cost savings.

The Boonton Township School District is holding a referendum, or vote, to ask the community for permission to borrow $15 million by selling bonds. If voters approve the proposal, the district will use the funds to update and improve Rockaway Valley School. The bonds would be repaid over 20 years with the help of $4.7 million in state debt service aid that’s only available with an approved referendum.

The district originally planned for a referendum during the 2020-21 school year, as payments for the last investment to build the middle school wing were about to end. The pandemic paused the process, and the need to replace facilities like a leaky roof and obsolete HVAC systems became even more urgent.  

We have been making do with temporary fixes, but need long-term solutions to create a more functional school and avoid building damage, as well as the cost and disruption of equipment failures.  

With the help of $4.7 million in state aid, BTSD can soon begin the process of implementing sustainable improvements to maintain our district’s high quality.  

Planning for this referendum stretches back several years. The proposal would fund infrastructure repairs and upgrades that the district wants to address as soon as possible – with a boost from state aid that can only be accessed if the referendum passes.   

The tuition discussions with the Mountain Lakes School District and the bond referendum process are both important issues, and we are devoting time and energy to each of them.   

Though they are individual matters, they are both guided by our sense of financial responsibility to Boonton Township taxpayers. We are working to ensure that our tuition arrangement will be fair to our residents, and holding a bond referendum to benefit from state aid that would offset local taxes.  

We don’t have a ready alternative to address these needs, as there is no other mechanism that would provide upfront funding and contribute nearly a third of the cost of comprehensive improvements.  

The only certainty is that the need for repairs and renovations will remain. It is unlikely that we will be able to address all of our building needs through the regular budget. Any projects will be addressed individually and without the support of state debt service aid.  

We want all Boonton Township residents to have complete information about the bond proposal before they vote. In addition to this website, the district will share information through social media, the Township newsletter, a town-wide mailing and forums where the community can ask questions.  

A building tour is set for Tuesday, Feb. 13. Community members can register to take the tour at 6, 6:30 or 7 p.m. District officials will show areas targeted for improvement and and answer questions. A virtual forum on Feb. 28, 6:30 to 8 p.m., will offer another Q&A opportunity. A panel of experts, including the project architect, financial advisers and teachers will discuss the referendum. Residents can join via a Zoom link.

Residents can also watch this website and the Rockaway Valley School Facebook page for updates and event information. 

While school parents, staff and students would be most directly affected by building upgrades, the projects would be positive for all in the community. The desirability of a town is closely tied to the quality of its school system, and that’s particularly the case in a small town like ours. 

There’s also the practical consideration of state debt service aid. Without an approved referendum, the state will not contribute $4.7 million in aid to offset the cost to taxpayers. 

The interest rates for a school district are tax-exempt rates and therefore they are lower than mortgage or other types of borrowing rates. 

Financial advisors who specialize in school bond referenda estimated the bond interest rate at 4.25 percent. Bonds currently sell for lower than that conservative estimate. The exact interest rate will be unknown until the district sells the bonds (through a competitive bidding process), which cannot begin without voter approval. 

These details are important to know: 

• The percentage of state aid committed for the improvements would also apply to the interest. Under the state’s program for bond-funded school improvements, the state helps make payments on the principal and the interest until repayment of the bond. 

• Like home mortgages, the district can refinance bonds as interest rates fall. That very common occurrence would reduce the total interest paid.   

• The long term of a bond spreads the costs over many taxpayers – including the ones that will buy a home in Boonton Township 10 or 15 years from now. People who sell their houses before 2046 won’t pay the full amount of that property’s share for these improvements.   

The state aid is attached to this specific proposal. The eligibility for aid is not standard - the state considers every proposal and project individually.  If we had to return to the time-consuming process of planning a referendum, there’s no guarantee on the amount of aid the district would be eligible for. The district would have to start a new process of applying for state funding. 

Plus, delays are costly. Construction costs go up, and we run the risk of expensive emergency repairs for our very old building systems.  

It is worth noting that if the district has to go out for another referendum, it is possible that the school could get fewer improvements for around the same dollar amount, because we do know construction costs will only go up.

No actual quotes have been received for the proposed projects, and the district will only receive quotes after an approved referendum. Only then will the district invest in asking consultants to create detailed design specifications that are needed for the bidding process. The district will receive true quotes through a competitive process that awards work to the lowest responsible bidder.

In forming the estimated project costs, the architect shared his knowledge of similar projects in similar geographic areas. The numbers are not final, and it is the district’s goal and expectation that the actual costs will be lower. 

Also:   

• Estimated project costs include more than construction; the budget also accounts for professional fees and licenses required for the construction and inspection process.  

• Estimating school construction projects is much different than estimating for construction projects of a similar scale in the private sector; state requirements lead to estimates that may seem inflated to individuals unfamiliar with the nuanced processes related to school construction.

• The district must pay prevailing union wages for labor.    

• The state also requires the budget to include a contingency amount for possible increases in costs when construction begins 1-½ to 2 years into the future.  

• Smaller projects proportionally cost more, just as it costs more per unit for one grocery item than to buy in bulk. Contractors still have to secure insurance and pay for supervision on the project site and can’t realize the savings that comes with buying supplies in bulk.

The Board of Education and district leaders decided on a bond referendum after evaluating building needs and considering community input from our strategic planning process. They determined a bond referendum was the best approach to address the scope of improvements because of the availability of upfront funding.  

With voter approval, a referendum also provides access to $4.7 million in state aid for projects to modernize our school building and optimize students’ educational experiences.  

The district will receive $4.7 million – almost a third of the $15 million total project costs – if voters approve the referendum. The Department of Education already confirmed the district’s aid eligibility based on the architect’s overview of the projects.  

Taxpayers across New Jersey pay toward the revenue that helps fund school construction projects, but the money only flows back to communities where voters approve referenda. 

The owner of a home assessed at Boonton Township’s average of $529,640 would pay around $39 a month after state aid is factored in. The payments would begin in July 2025. 

See the Funding page of this website to figure out what payment you could expect based on your home’s assessed value (which is different, and typically less, than market value). 

The district includes maintenance costs in its budget each year. Funds are allocated to patch the roof, replace ballasts and lights, repair leaky valves in boilers, and service HVAC equipment that is up to 65 years old. 

Although the district is doing its best to maintain the current systems, the aging equipment is no longer efficient or reliable. 

We would continue budgeting for maintenance of new systems and would expect those costs to drop significantly for each of the infrastructure projects included in the referendum: 

• Roofing: The district replaced two portions of the roof with Capital Reserve funds over the last two summers. The rest of the roof would be replaced through an approved referendum and would be covered under a 30-year warranty. 

• LED lighting: New LED systems are brighter, more efficient and require replacement much less frequently than the district’s current lighting. The district expects to save on parts and labor as well as utility bills. 

• HVAC systems and boilers: Modern climate-control systems would run more efficiently, closely monitor energy consumption and the boilers and classroom units would not need regular repairs or replacements of leaky components.

• A central monitoring system would control the lights and HVAC equipment for utility savings and improved comfort.  

The State of New Jersey offers a property tax reimbursement program known as "Senior Freeze." Once applicants are approved, their property tax payments are “frozen” at the current amount, and they will receive a rebate if taxes increase because of the bond referendum or any other reason.  

A new law increased the income limit for the program to $150,000 and eliminated the requirement that an applicant live in New Jersey for 10 consecutive years. Other requirements for age/disability and three years of home ownership remain.  

More information, including how to apply for the program, is available through the state’s Senior Freeze webpage or by calling the Senior Tax Freeze hotline at 1-800-882-6597. 

The Boonton Township School District’s annual budget is approximately $16.5 million, and covers all day-to-day operational costs including salaries, supplies and regular maintenance, along with funding for our instructional programs. We have accommodated repairs within our budget and Capital Reserve savings fund when possible. For example, we replaced portions of the roof over two summers at a cost of between $800,000 to $930,000 each year through Capital Reserve funding.  

However, it is not possible to fit large-scale improvements that require immediate attention into the annual budget. Paying for even a fraction of the referendum projects through the annual budget would require cutting items that support instruction. That tradeoff would not serve our students well. 

A bond referendum would offer upfront funding to more quickly repair and replace aging infrastructure – including the remaining portions of the old roof, which leaks into classrooms and other student areas. The district is using the bond referendum as part of a long-term planning strategy, and previously held a referendum to fund the RVS middle school wing in 2000. 

Most importantly, an approved bond referendum would provide $4.7 million in state aid toward projects that would not otherwise be available to the district. 

The district’s architects estimated the costs based on their extensive experience with similar projects in similar geographic areas, and current market conditions. The estimated costs also include professional service and license fees, and a state-mandated cushion to cover any market escalation in the next year or two, when construction would take place. 

All work is awarded through a state-required competitive bidding process. The district does not publicize a detailed breakdown of estimates to ensure a fair bidding process that results in the lowest possible costs.  

The estimated costs may change once work is underway, but the district cannot spend any more on projects than the amount voters approved. If the actual costs are lower than the estimate, the savings will be passed on to residents as a tax decrease.

State law requires that the district award construction contracts through a competitive public bidding process. The work must be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder after voters approve a referendum.  

The estimated costs may change once work is underway, but the district cannot spend any more on projects than the amount voters approved. The district and its professional consultants will make any necessary adjustments to ensure the projects stay within budget.  

If the actual costs are lower than the estimate, the difference will be returned to taxpayers in the form of a tax rate decrease. Referendum funding cannot be spent on anything other than the projects that were included in the proposal. 

The district will borrow the funds over a 20-year bond term. This approach to spreading out payments for repairs and renovations is similar to how a consumer uses a home equity loan. 

Interest rates for school bonds are tax-exempt and therefore lower than mortgage or other types of borrowing rates. However, the district can refinance bonds for an even lower rate during the 20-year term. Any reduction in debt service will be passed along to taxpayers.  

The district already replaced portions of the Rockaway Valley School roof through its Capital Reserve savings over the last two years. Completing the remaining roof work – and all other timely building needs -- through a referendum would be more efficient than addressing work in phases as funds are available. If voters approve a referendum, the district will receive upfront funding to make upgrades, and state aid will contribute toward the total cost of the projects.  

Many of the current systems at Rockway Valley School are outdated and inefficient. These items include fluorescent lighting, boilers and HVAC equipment, including classroom unit ventilators that date to the original building’s 1959 opening.  

The proposed projects include efficient HVAC systems and boilers and LED lighting, all of which would contribute to long-term operational savings on energy costs.  

Abatement of asbestos-containing materials also is included in the proposal. The district would take the opportunity to remove or mitigate those materials anywhere they might remain in the building, not just in the proposed project areas. By doing so, the district will be able to eliminate the cost of annual asbestos monitoring.  

The roofing replacement also would head off future costs by preventing further damage to ceilings. New portions of the roof would be under warranty. 

The district identified how to improve the spaces that staff and students use every day at Rockaway Valley School. The storage addition would keep hallways clear of obstacles, nurse’s office renovation would enhance accessibility, and art room upgrades would create efficient and collaborative spaces to serve 400 students each week. 

Updating the HVAC systems would ensure a comfortable working environment for students and staff and adding air conditioning to classrooms that would help students focus on hot and humid school days. The classrooms also are used for township-run camp programs during the summer, warranting even more of a need for air conditioning. 

Canopies at the main and upper-level gym entrances would help keep walkways clear on icy and snowy days, and would provide shelter and added lighting for students, staff and visitors.  They'd also address the need to clearly identify the entrances. 

Replacement roofing would avoid the compounding cost of repairs, and put an end to disruptive ceiling leaks that occur around the school.. Lessons come to a halt when custodians have to respond to leaks -- sometimes right over a student's desk. New portions of the roof would be covered by a 30-year warranty. 

The district would add protection to the main entrance with a security vestibule, which prevents visitors from entering the school directly after being buzzed in. The two-step entrance is becoming standard in New Jersey schools. A 2023 survey by the NJ Association of School Administrators found that 77 percent of 262 school leaders had installed some form of security vestibule.  

Canopies for the main and upper-level gym entrances would create safer walkways, especially at night and in inclement weather. The canopies would have lighting for students, staff and visitors who enter and leave the building at night. Plus, the canopies would reduce slippery areas by keeping the walkways clear of snow and ice.  

Adding an area specifically for storage would resolve the issue of extra chairs, choral risers, deliveries and other items that sit in hallways and other student spaces, including the wings of the stage.  

The addition, which includes a mezzanine, would provide an appropriate place for storage and end the inconvenience of constantly navigating around boxes and furniture. Plus, the added room gives the district flexibility to house small-group instruction if needed in the future.

Art is part of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), the group of disciplines that drive innovative and collaborative instruction and help prepare students for the careers of the future. The current art room has not had significant upgrades since the original school building opened in 1959. As a result, the space is not configured for modern instruction nor the needs of the 400 students who have art class weekly. The room lacks storage for projects and supplies, and the old sink is out of reach for the youngest students and too short for some of the older students.  

Renovations also would include lighting upgrades, and a new ceiling and floor.  

How would the district minimize disruption during construction?  

The original portion of Rockaway Valley School was built in the 1950s, when asbestos-containing materials were commonly used in construction. Contractors who work on renovations are required to remove or mitigate materials that could be considered hazardous.  

The district’s bond proposal includes abatement where projects are proposed, and in any areas of the building where asbestos materials remain. This work should eliminate all asbestos materials and will save the cost of required annual monitoring. 

Most of the work on large-scale projects would be scheduled during the summer months over the next two to three years. Any construction done during the school year would be carefully coordinated to avoid disruption of daily activities. 

The community last approved a referendum in 2000, providing funding for Rockaway Valley School’s middle school wing. Payments for that investment ended in 2021. 

The district is not allowed to spend any more than the amount that voters approve. We have worked closely with our architects and financial advisers to arrive at realistic cost estimates for the projects and related fees. The state also requires a cushion to absorb market changes for construction that will take place a year or two from now. If costs run high, the district will determine how to control expenses within the scope of the projects. 

The district is not permitted to spend referendum funds on projects other than those included in the proposal. If needed, funds can be transferred among projects within the referendum. If the costs are lower than estimates, the remaining funds will be used to pay down the debt faster and, as a result, would reduce taxes.  

Anyone who is registered to vote can participate in this special election. Your registration must be up to date with your legal name and Boonton Township address. Check your registration status on the NJ Voter Search tool. You must have an updated registration by Feb. 20 to vote in the Boonton Township School District bond referendum. 

Any registered voter can request a Vote by Mail ballot by mailing an application to the Morris County Clerk’s Office (applications are not accepted online). To receive a ballot by mail, your paperwork must be received by March 5. After that date, the clerk’s office will continue accepting Vote By Mail applications in person through 3 p.m. March 11. 

In-person voting will be held on March 12 at the Municipal Building, 155 Powerville Road, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

If for any reason you are told you cannot vote at the polls, ask for a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is counted once election officials verify your voting eligibility and confirm that a valid ballot has not already been submitted.