Frequently Asked Questions

A bond referendum is simply a vote. New Jersey public school districts are required to ask permission from local voters when they want to sell bonds to borrow money. Funds from a bond referendum are often used to finance large-scale school improvements and additions.  

A voter-approved referendum is a fiscally responsible plan to complete A/C in the district by taking advantage of state aid.   

With voter approval, the district would combine up to $2.1 million state aid with money set aside in the district’s Capital Reserve (like a savings account) to pay off the costs, with no change to the school debt tax.   

Without bond funding, MTPS would continue its plan to expand air conditioning to Asher and Robertsville. Without the advantage of state aid, that would take longer so more local money can be earmarked for the full cost.

The State of New Jersey allows school districts to hold bond referenda on special dates or as part of the General Election
in November. Marlboro Township Board of Education chose Tuesday, November 4th to avoid paying the costs of a special election.  

A referendum presentation will be part of the Board of Education's meeting on October 14th. Time is planned for questions and answers within the structure of a workshop meeting, and the district’s professional advisers will participate. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. at Marlboro Memorial Middle School, 71 Nolan Road in Morganville.  

Marlboro residents can also send referendum-related questions to NoDebt@mtps.org. All questions will be referred to the appropriate person and answered as quickly as possible.  

The district is holding a bond referendum to complete the final A/C expansion projects so the district (and Marlboro residents) can benefit from state aid.    

If voters approve the referendum, MTPS would gain up to $2.1 million in state aid that comes with bond funding. That's money Marlboro residents already paid to the state through taxes, and it can be brought back to invest in expanding A/C through voter approval of the referendum.   

Controlling temperature and bringing fresh air into our building is more important than ever. Proposed HVAC upgrades would bring all our schools up to the same standards, giving us the ability to effectively cool the entire building, regardless of the temperature outside. This would especially provide comfort for our students and staff who have asthma and/or seasonal allergies.

The NJ Department of Education requires that classroom temperatures not be hotter than 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Schools have had to move classes when the indoor temperature rises above that mark. Sometimes that means moving to one of the larger spaces that is air-conditioned, such as a media center or gym. Sometimes it means shifting classes from one side of a building, such as where afternoon sun is beaming, to the other side that is slightly cooler. In either case: High classroom temperatures are both uncomfortable and disruptive. 

Decades ago, teachers with hot classrooms opened windows or propped doors to catch a breeze. The school year ended mid-June, which was typically before outdoor temperatures rose to the 80s. Now, both the end and start of the school year can be quite warm, and more cautious security measures prevent opening windows and doors.  

A climate-controlled school can maintain its security protocol from September through June – and even for summer use – when A/C systems keep the heat in check.  

The referendum proposes installing “split” units in classrooms at Asher Holmes and Robertsville. The term comes from the fact that interior components are separated from the nosier components, so the classroom stays quieter. In contrast, older “unit ventilators” sit alongside the wall inside classrooms and tend to be louder. With "split" units, quieter classrooms mean students and staff can focus on learning. 

At Asher Holmes and Robertsville, some classrooms are cooled with window air conditioners because a student or a staff member requires that for medical reasons. Those window units are not as energy efficient as the equipment proposed for installation, and they generally do not last as long.  

Also at Asher Holmes and Robertsville, large A/C units cool some of the large spaces like all-purpose rooms and media centers. Without sealing off those areas completely, warmer air continually gets into those rooms. Thermostats struggle to reach the temperature at which they would turn off.  

This “constant on” situation is a drag on energy efficiency. Keeping classrooms cooled with individual A/C units would even out each school's temperature.

Some Marlboro schools have always had air conditioning, and the district has taken advantage of state and federal funding to add it to others. Only Asher Holmes and Robertsville do not have this modern feature throughout the buildings.  

That presents an issue of equity: Of about 5,400 students and staff members who are in the schools regularly, 75% benefit from climate control to keep temperature, humidity, pollen, etc. at comfortable levels. The referendum proposes equity across all schools.  

Work to add air conditioning at Defino Central Elementary School and Frank J. Dugan Elementary School started about a year after the COVID-19 pandemic that led to supply chain slowdowns. Due to pandemic-era delays and the need to upgrade electrical service at one school, the district completed that work in the fall 2023.

In contrast, the expansion of A/C to Marlboro Elementary School began in September 2024 and was completed within 10 months.  

Professional advisers expect a similar timeline for the work proposed on the November 4th ballot. Some work at Asher and Robertsville could begin in summer 2026 and installation is targeted for spring 2027.

Bonds would be sold to investors, who provide up-front funding for capital improvements like air conditioning. MTPS would capture a special kind of state aid that comes with bond funding, then the district would pay off the loan with money that’s been saved up from the district Capital Reserve account.  

This is like a “bridge loan” to fill the gap between agreeing to expand air conditioning and actually paying the costs. All of this can be accomplished with no increase in the tax rate.   

The two A/C projects that make up Marlboro’s referendum are estimated to cost $5.3 million. This figure includes not only the work on the projects, but also professional and permit fees to support it, as well as a cushion calculated by the district’s financial advisers to account for market fluctuations and contingencies.   

State aid would reduce the amount that local funds would pay. The district’s Capital Reserve (like a savings account) would cover that amount – so there will be no change to the school debt tax rate.

The state Department of Education thoroughly reviewed Marlboro’s plan to complete A/C projects and agreed to pay up to 40% of the total project cost. That is up to $2.1 million that Marlboro residents already pay to the state through taxes. It can be brought back to invest in Marlboro’s schools through voter approval of the referendum.

If voters approve the referendum, residents will not see a change in the school debt tax rate. This is due to prudent financial planning to use the advantage of state aid and the local funds set aside in Capital Reserve. Those sources are expected to cover
the costs.

The district, in partnership with its architect, thoroughly researched the proposed projects and their associated costs, and included a contingency amount in the estimated total. The district is not permitted to spend more money than is authorized by the voters. 

If voters approve the bond referendum, the district can only spend that money on the state-approved proposal:
expanding A/C at Asher and Robertsville.

Several programs are provided by the State of New Jersey that offer property tax relief, especially for people who are older or disabled. As of the 2024 tax year, the state combined its varied applications into one streamlined process. Find more information on the state's website. 

All registered voters in Marlboro can vote on November 4th, when this important bond referendum will be a question on the General Election ballot. If you are not registered to vote, or your address or name recently changed, you must do so by October 14th.   

If you registered for another election (such as president or governor), and your name and address have not changed, your registration should be valid for this referendum. Check your voter registration status to be sure, and update your registration if necessary.  

Regular poll locations will be open on Tuesday, November 4th from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Use this state website to find your polling location: https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/polling-place-search.

Because this school referendum will be part of the General Election, early voting is another option for voters to cast their ballots. Designated in-person early voting locations will be open Saturday, October 25th through Sunday, November 2nd.

Monmouth County's website lists 10 in-person Early Voting Poll Locations. Hours on Monday through Saturday will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and on Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voters can use any of these locations during the Early Voting period.

Some voters have asked that a Vote By Mail ballot be sent to them automatically for all elections. Check your Vote By Mail status by contacting the Monmouth County Clerk’s Election Division at (732) 431-7790 or at ClerkOfElections@co.monmouth.nj.us.  

To request a Vote By Mail ballot, download an application in English or Spanish. The county must receive that application by October 28th to mail you a ballot, or by 3 p.m. November 3rd to give you a ballot in person.  

When you receive your Vote By Mail ballot, fill it out and either:      

• Mail it in with a postmark by November 4th ,  

• Deliver it in person to the County Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. that day, or  

• Leave it in a drop box before 8 p.m. that day. 

If you show up to your polling place on November 4th and are told your ballot was mailed to you or that you are unable to vote
for any reason, ask for a provisional ballot. This ensures your ballot will be counted once all mailed ballots are double-checked
and processed.