A bond referendum is a process in which a school district asks voters to approve bond borrowing to finance large-scale improvements. The Kenilworth School District chose this strategy to generate upfront funding for facilities improvements and spread the cost of the projects over time, similar to the way a homeowner uses a home equity loan.

State aid that only comes with an approved bond referendum would reduce the impact on school tax bills, and improvements would be completed within a few years.

The district takes a proactive approach to maintaining school buildings and is resourceful in its use of existing space. For example, Kenilworth carved out room for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities at Harding and Brearley as part of its mission to expand innovative instruction.

Kenilworth has made strides over the past few years through its focus on future-ready learning and creative curriculums.

But to achieve the transformative upgrades that would put Kenilworth on par with surrounding districts, the Board and district leaders had to make a bolder move. A bond referendum is the only way to fund major building improvements such as the two-story Brearley expansion, energy-efficient classroom HVAC units, auditorium renovations, and a new turf field and track. It’s also a financially responsible strategy that comes with the benefit of state aid toward project costs, and the ability to spread costs over time.

An approved referendum in the fall of 2022 would kick off pre-construction steps such as finalizing architectural plans and preparing projects for bid. The bulk of the work would be done over summer breaks, starting with the summer of 2023.

Construction that takes place during the school year would be planned to minimize disruptions. With voter approval, sixth-graders are expected to begin attending an expanded Brearley Middle-High School by September 2025.

Modern, high-quality school districts are attractive to those in the market for a new home. More than half of homebuyers with children under 18 say the quality of the local school district is an important factor in buying a home, according to Realtor.com.

All property owners reap the rewards of living in a desirable community, regardless of whether they have a current connection to the district. Some of the proposed improvements, such as a turf field, expanded space for science and technology, and a distinct middle school for grades 6-8, are comparable to what is offered in a number of surrounding districts. Keeping up with education standards ensures the district meets students’ modern needs and contributes to a competitive local housing market.

Some community members, including those who use Brearley’s track and attend performances and sporting events, would directly benefit from facility upgrades.

Expansion of pre-K programming is expected to require more teachers and teaching assistants. Bond referendum funding is only available for building facilities and cannot pay for salaries or benefits. Teachers’ salaries would be paid out of the regular operating budget.

Students who are residents of Kenilworth attend pre-K at no cost. However, if the district has enough space to accommodate out-of-district tuition students, it could help offset the cost of salaries.

The district plans to hire a middle school administrator as part of the plan to create two separate school identities within Brearley. That person would also be paid through the regular budget. However, we anticipate that existing personnel will sufficiently address other staffing needs that arise as a result of creating a distinct middle school.

Kenilworth School District seeks to restructure its facilities to better serve students. A two-story addition and renovation would transform the existing Brearley building into separate middle and high school spaces. (This would not involve the construction of another building.)

The middle school would gain a dedicated entrance, cafeteria/gym and high-school level science labs. New art and music classrooms also would contribute to a more robust learning experience. High school students would have a new science wing.

Sixth-graders would move to Brearley for middle school, and Harding would use the vacated space to accommodate more pre-K students. The proposal also includes energy-saving HVAC upgrades, auditorium renovations at both schools, a new track, synthetic turf to replace the main grass field and enhancements to other fields.

The projects are estimated to cost $31,448,784. This includes everything from construction and renovation work to professional and permit fees. It also includes a contingency to cover additional costs that could arise during the construction phase.

The state requires school districts to assign project work through a competitive bidding process.

To preserve the integrity of the process and ensure the district receives the lowest pricing available, architects do not share an itemized list of estimated costs in advance.

Once a referendum passes, architects will dedicate the resources needed to develop detailed requests for contractors’ proposals. The work goes to the lowest qualified bidder.

Contingency amounts are built into the project costs to account for potential changes in market conditions and other factors. The district is not allowed to spend more than the amount approved by voters and cannot spend funds on projects other than those included in the referendum.

Turf would give Brearley athletes a playing surface that’s not dependent on weather conditions. The grass field is often unusable for soccer after it rains, requiring cancellations and rescheduling. This impacts not only the athletes, but their families and other spectators as well.

Using the field for football while it’s raining or soon afterward can cause damage.

Most Union County high schools already use synthetic turf fields, putting our athletes at a disadvantage because they don’t have the opportunity to practice on turf. Installing turf at Brearley would provide athletes with more consistency to increase their comfort level at home and away games.

The state determined that around two-thirds of the total cost of stadium-area improvements are eligible for aid. That package of improvements includes drainage systems, turf, grass fields, some fencing and sidewalks. State aid for these projects is only available with an approved referendum.

It is challenging for districts to fund these projects through the regular budget, as expenses directly related to instruction will always take priority.

The Board believes the best way to fund this community-oriented project is through a package of improvements that the community would vote on.

The turf “carpet” represents around one-third of the cost of the stadium area upgrades. The project also includes a drainage system and other infrastructure that would have more longevity.

Most manufacturers offer a 10-year warranty on the turf, but the district’s architects see replacements most typically needed around the 12-year mark. The district would expect its turf to hold up longer because it would be used for fewer sports than in other districts.

The bond referendum includes a proposal for a two-story addition at David Brearley Middle School-High School. This would not involve construction of a separate building.

A new wing would give Brearley the space it needs to accommodate the sixth-graders and create separation between the middle and high schools under one roof.

The first floor would include a new science wing for high school students. The middle school would be housed on the second floor, where students would have access to new music and art classrooms and would inherit science labs from the high school.

The proposed Brearley upgrades would create a more cohesive middle school experience that would include grades 6, 7 and 8. Sixth-graders currently attend Harding Elementary School.

Students who move on from Harding Elementary after sixth grade attend Brearley Middle-High School, where they share entrances, hallways and other spaces with high school students.

The middle school years are a critical time in academic and social development, and these students need and deserve their own space. The proposed two-story expansion at Brearley would give middle school students exclusive use of the second floor, where they would have access to high school-level science labs, and new art and music rooms. The auxiliary gym would be converted into a middle school gym/cafeteria. The additional space at Brearley would let the middle school accommodate sixth grade, giving those students opportunities to learn and socialize through extracurricular activities and clubs alongside their seventh- and eighth-grade peers.

New Jersey’s academic standards are structured for continuity of learning across grades 6-8, and most districts in the region already group those grades.

A two-story expansion at Brearley would benefit the high school students as well by giving them a new science wing. Providing more space for science instruction reflects the evolution in education since Brearley opened 60 years ago. Students who can expand their knowledge of science and related topics will be better prepared for future opportunities.

The community has consistently asked for more pre-K opportunities, and our waiting list shows the demand. Research shows the early engagement of pre-K makes a dramatic difference for students.

If we have more pre-K space, we can serve many of these students in our own district. The added space also would let the district open pre-K to 3-year-olds.

Our fields have needed attention for a long time, but athletic improvements generally take a back seat to academic needs in a district’s regular budget. The bond referendum presents an opportunity to upgrade facilities for the benefit of students and the community.

A new turf field would give students a more reliable playing surface and avoid the delays and cancellations that can come with wet weather. Most Union County high schools already have turf. Brearley students need the experience of practicing on the same type of surface.

Replacing the track would give Brearley a chance to host meets and would benefit the many community members who use it. Other grass fields also would be upgraded and available for community use.

Harding’s auditorium is part of the original 1923 building, and it has never had a complete renovation; the chairs are still original.

At almost 60 years old, Brearley’s auditorium is also showing its age. Improvements proposed through the referendum include new ceilings, floors and seats for both schools’ auditoriums. Brearley would also receive a new stage floor and sound booth. Operating funds were used to replace Harding’s stage this year.

The improvements would create a better experience for students who participate in music and theater performances, and the spectators who attend the events.

The district has responsibly maintained and improved its facilities over time, ensuring our older buildings are structurally sound with solid roofs, and properly functioning doors and windows.

Through careful planning and strategic use of the operating budget and capital reserve savings, the district recently renovated both school gyms, replaced the old relocatable classrooms with modern modular rooms in the Brealey Annex, repaired the façade of Harding School, and installed security vestibules in both buildings.

The Harding auditorium stage also was replaced with funds from the operating budget. An approved bond referendum would cover the costs of replacing the original chairs in the 100-year-old auditorium, as well as the floor and ceiling.

The district leveraged $1.6 million in incentives through the state’s Energy Savings Improvement Program to install solar panels on both buildings and replace some HVAC equipment, including two new chillers and a boiler. The HVAC improvements included in the referendum would complete a virtual overhaul of our climate-control systems.

We are proud of the way we have maintained our buildings within existing resources, but a bond referendum is the only way the district can make transformative upgrades to meet our students’ modern educational needs.

Every classroom would get new, individual units to handle heating, ventilation and air conditioning for enhanced air quality. Air conditioning would be added to Brearley’s auxiliary gym, which would become the new middle school gym/cafeteria. The entire HVAC system would be monitored by an energy-saving building management system.

The combination of referendum projects plus HVAC work funded through the state’s Energy Savings Improvement Program and Solar Power Purchasing Agreement would result in a nearly new network of systems including chillers, boilers, unit ventilators and controls.

Elevating the quality of our schools benefits the entire community, but the community does not have to take on the full cost of the improvements.

The Board and district worked on a band referendum that would maximize the eligibility for state aid. The state will contribute nearly $5 million toward the $31,448,784 project costs. That aid is only available through an approved referendum.

The district committed $2 million from its capital reserve funds to further reduce the local share and defer payments until 2025.

On a home assessed at the borough average of $183,389, the average annual tax impact over the 25-year borrowing term is $359; that’s roughly $30 per month.

After five years of overlap between debt from a previous investment and new debt, taxpayers will see an average annual tax decrease of $184.

Our financial advisors make conservative estimates on the interest rates that would be available following an approved referendum. That strategy ensures enough of a range to cover potential increases.

If rates turn out to be lower than estimates, the cost of borrowing would be slightly lower and, therefore, so would the amount to be repaid.

Just like a home mortgage, bonds can be refinanced if rates improve. We have the flexibility to take advantage of rate decreases over the next 25 years.

Inflation is a short-term condition, but a bond referendum lets the Kenilworth district spread project costs over 25 years. The impact of the investment would not show up on tax bills until 2025.

Financial safeguards are built into a bond referendum to ensure costs are not more than estimated. The state requires that project costs include a contingency amount to cover unforeseen circumstances, including potential inflation. Plus, financial advisers make conservative bond borrowing estimates as a hedge against potential rate increases.

Meanwhile, any delay in the proposed projects would continue to cost the district opportunities as well as money. The proposal would include more efficient HVAC equipment, which is a long-term money-saver.

A bond referendum and the regular budget are not interchangeable funding sources.

The budget is used for regular operating expenses such as salaries and benefits, as well as building maintenance and modest projects. A referendum is a strategic way to fund needs that are too significant to address in the regular budget and lets the district access state aid that is not available any other way. Bond borrowing cannot be used for day-to-day district costs.

When architects surveyed building needs, they identified about $45 million worth of potential projects. Board members and district leaders thoroughly reviewed all the options over the course of a year to produce a list of priorities. The result was a $31.4 million proposal that would move Kenilworth forward.

The proposed facilities improvements would support academic opportunities such as expanded pre-K, an enhanced middle school experience that would start in sixth grade instead of seventh, and a new science wing for the high school.

The borough has been preparing for the closure of Merck headquarters by exploring replacement businesses that would pay tax income, also known as tax ratables. The amount of ratables also affects the tax impact of the projects approved through a bond referendum; with more ratables, there are more taxpayers bearing the cost.

New housing developments are actively being considered as the borough works to fulfill its fair housing obligation. More homeowners also would help share in the costs of the district’s investment.

A home’s assessed value is used to calculate how much property tax a homeowner will pay. Market value is an estimate of how much a home could sell for in today’s market and is usually much higher than a home’s assessed value. The average home assessment in Kenilworth Borough is $183,389. You can check your home’s assessed value by using this website to search for your property.

The district cannot spend more than the amount the voters authorize in a bond referendum and can only spend on the scope of the projects outlined in the proposal. If actual costs are lower than estimated, the excess bond proceeds need to be used to pay down the outstanding bond principal.

The district has thoroughly researched the project costs and built a contingency into the estimated price. The district cannot spend more than the amount the voters authorize in a bond referendum and cannot spend the money on anything except the projects outlined in the proposal. If actual costs exceeded what voters approved, the district would have to adjust the plans.

New Jersey offers a property tax rebate for seniors and people with disabilities. Eligible taxpayers get a rebate if their taxes increase. The state has increased the income limit by more than 30 percent since 2017.

Application forms can be found at state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/ptr/

Taxpayers can also call the Senior Tax Freeze hotline at 1-800-882-6597.

All active, registered voters with an address in Kenilworth Borough can participate in the bond referendum that is tentatively set for Thursday, Oct. 6.

You can register to vote, or update the name or address on your voter registration online or download a form in English or Spanish.

If you are not sure whether you are registered with your current information, search the state voter database by entering your name and date of birth.

Polling places will be open from 2 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6, at David Brearley Middle-High School.

If you have requested mail-in ballots for previous elections, you should receive a ballot for the referendum without further action. However, if you want to ensure you have a mail-in ballot or if you wish to Vote By Mail for the first time, download and fill out an application in English or Spanish. The application must be received by mail in the county office at least a week ahead of the election date.

Ballots can be submitted in person to the county until polls close. Mail-in ballots will not be accepted at the polls.

A Vote by Mail ballot must be completed and returned in person to the county clerk's office, taken to a designated drop box or sent in the mail – as long as it is postmarked by the election date.

The state moved the election to Thursday, Oct. 6, because of a conflict with a religious observance. Thursday is an unusual day to hold an election, so reminders to vote - for yourself, friends and neighbors - will be even more important.

The convenience of Vote By Mail ensures your ballot is counted without a trip to the polls. To apply for a mail-in ballot, download and fill out an application in English or Spanish.