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ROSELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT 

Bond Referendum Proposal

March 12, 2024 

Building A Bright Future Together

PROPOSAL

As the Roseland School District continues to grow, an addition to the Lester C. Noecker School will address space and capacity challenges.  This will improve educational spaces by creating appropriate and flexible environments for student collaboration and project-based learning.  Also included in the referendum will be renovation to the existing building including unit ventilator replacement, window replacement, and boiler replacement.  The new addition will include eight classrooms, two small group instructional rooms, a storage room and a renovation of two existing spaces to create two additional small group instructional classrooms. 

FUNDING

A bond referendum is an election in which a school district asks voters for permission to borrow funds through the sale of bonds to finance large-scale projects.  New Jersey school districts pursue this financial path for three main reasons: to help spread the cost of the construction projects over time (like how a homeowner finances a new roof or an addition with a line of credit), to have taxpayers who benefit from the project pay for it, and to tap into a type of state aid that is only available to districts with approved bond proposals.

The addition to the building is estimated to cost approximately $8.2 million. The replacement of HVAC units, windows, and boilers are estimated to cost approximately $4.3 million, for a total referendum cost of approximately $12.5 million.  The state aid will be approximately $1.5 million. 

The proposed renovations, alterations, additions, and improvements to the school building will have a “net zero” impact on the taxpayers. There are two components that contribute to a “net zero” impact: expiring debt, and state aid funding. The school district is currently making payments on existing debt that will mature in 2025. Using current interest rates, the payments that the district will incur as a result of new debt from a voter-approved referendum will not exceed the current payments of the existing debt. Therefore, the combination of expiring debt payments, and new debt payments of lesser or equal value, will result in a “net zero” tax impact. In addition, the state aid funding that the district will receive from the NJDOE will further help to offset the cost of a voter-approved referendum, and further contribute to a “net zero” tax impact.

VOTING

March 12, 2024  from 2 pm to 8 pm

(Click To Save The Date)

Important Dates For Voters

February 20, 2024 Voter registration must be up to date to participate in the bond referendum.

March 5, 2024 Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot by mail

March 11, 2024 Deadline for in-person mail-in ballot applications by 3 pm

March 12, 2024 Registered voters may vote in person from 2 pm to 8 pm. at their regular polling station

Am I Registered To Vote?

Regardless of how you cast your ballot your voter registration must be up to date by Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to be eligible to vote. 

• If you’re not sure if you are registered, or what address is associated with your registration, find out at this state of New Jersey website.

• If you’re not registered, register online by using the NJ Voter Information Portal to complete a voter registration form and upload identification documents. 

Printed registration forms are also accepted. Print and mail a paper registration form, offered in English and Spanish, to the Essex County Superintendent of Elections, 495 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Suite 103, Newark, NJ 07102. 

How And Where Can I Vote In Person?

In-person voting will be available to registered voters from 2 pm to 8 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at your regular polling stations. 

How Can I Vote By Mail?

Voting by mail is an easy, convenient way to make your ballot count! 

1. Check your Vote by Mail status by contacting the Essex County Clerk’s Office at 973-621-4921. Some New Jersey residents have opted to receive Vote By Mail ballots automatically, and any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot for a particular election. Verifying your vote by mail status with the County Clerk is still highly recommended.

2. Apply for a Vote by Mail Ballot. To receive a ballot in the mail, your application must arrive at the County Clerk’s Office (PO Box 690, Newark, NJ 07101-0690) no later than March 5, 2024. To receive a ballot in person, hand-deliver your application by 3 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2024, to the Clerk’s Office (495 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Newark).

   1. • Application For Vote By Mail Ballot (English)

      • Application For Vote By Mail Ballot (Spanish)

3. Mail your ballot by the day of the election! All mailed ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday, March 12, 2024. You can also hand deliver your mail-in ballot by dropping it off before the vote date at any of the county-managed boxes specified for that purpose. 

   1. • Ballot Box Location:  Roseland Police Station 15 Harrison Ave. Roseland, NJ 07068 

Track your ballot using the state of New Jersey voter portal. Setting up an account is free, and while this step is optional, it’s the only way to reliably monitor the status of your ballot online. 

What You'll See On The ballot?

How will the Bond Proposal Questions read?

The Board of Education of the Borough of Roseland in the County of Essex,  New Jersey is authorized: (a) to provide for an addition, renovations, alterations and improvements at Lester Noecker School, including acquisition and installation of fixtures, furnishings and equipment, sitework and related work and costs; (b) to appropriate $12,520,022 for such purposes and (c) to issue bonds of the school district therefore in the principal amount of $12,520,022. 

The final eligible costs of these projects authorized by this bond proposal and approved by the Commissioner of Education are $4,538,755.  The projects include $0 for 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 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 Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election

Do you approve this bond proposal?

What do the numbers in the Bond Proposal Questions mean?

The bond proposal appropriates the cost of the project and authorizes the issuance of the $12,520,022 bonds to finance the project. As part of the authorization process, the DOE reviews the projects and determines the eligible costs on which state debt service aid is determined. State law requires we disclose the amount of eligible costs in the bond proposal question. The district will issue bonds in the full amount of the proposal (rounded down to the nearest $1,000) and receive aid from the State annually to help pay the principal and interest on the bonds due each year. Based on these eligible costs under the state formula for debt service aid , the district expects to receive annually 12.326% of debt service due annually.

For More Information About Voting, Visits The 

Eessex County Clerk's Office Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Building A Brighter Future Together 

Why is the Board of Education considering a possible expansion to the schools? 

The Board has been evaluating the potential need for school expansion and needed repairs for several years. This is being driven by the following factors:  

• Population Growth Based on Demographic Report: School expansion would address anticipated population growth in the Borough over the next five years. This population growth is specifically driven by new construction, including state requirements to increase affordable housing thresholds for the Borough. The Board and school administrators have consistently received feedback about prioritizing small class size from the Roseland community.  Small class sizes allow for more effective instruction, particularly in the lower grades. 

• Facility Improvement: The District has assessed its long-term facility needs and identified priorities.  The replacement of the three aging boilers is necessary as they are at the end of their life expectancy.  New boilers would be more efficient and reduce the need for costly repairs.  The replacement of the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in some sections of the building are inefficient and not compatible with the temperature management system.  New systems would increase energy efficiency and reduce the need for costly repairs.  The replacement of windows that are part of the original construction of the school building and are outdated.  New windows will be more energy efficient and an aesthetic improvement.

• Current Space Will Not Be Sufficient: The District is utilizing every possible instructional space available. There is still a significant need for additional space for teachers who are providing small group instruction to have their own dedicated spaces. 

• Financial Benefits:

  • State Aid IF APPROVED by the voters

  • Savings on costly repairs

  • Timing of expiring debt payments

How do we know that there will be population growth? 

The District retained an expert demographer to study population growth in Roseland. The report indicates that by the 2026-27 school year, it is anticipated that there will be 164 additional students in the Noecker School.  This is the result of increased home sales, new housing developments, and Borough requirements to implement affordable housing.

Information Sharing

How can members of the Roseland community stay up to date on this referendum?

The Board views community engagement as an important part of the process because it provides the Board with a better understanding of community needs, concerns, and priorities – a critical data point. Communication and transparency also helps to build consensus around the decisions ultimately made, which is important when we are talking about decisions of this magnitude that will affect the District for years to come. 

Information was shared at Back to School Nights and monthly updates are provided at HSA and BOE meetings.  Updates about the referendum on the district’s website dedicated to the project in addition to the district’s Facebook page.  The district will also distribute an information mailer to the entire community.  

Has the Board of Education been in communication with the Borough Council, Planning Board, and Mayor? 

The Board has had conversations with the Mayor’s office to ensure that we have the benefit of each other’s information. For example, Mayor Spango participated in one of the Roseland Referendum Advisory Committee meetings to review the scope of the developments.  Furthermore, a formal presentation of the project was made at the July Planning Board meeting by the Superintendent and Gianforcaro Architects, Engineers & Planners.  The Borough Planning Board and board fully agrees that this addition to the school is necessary and required for the better functioning of the Lester C. Noecker Elementary School  and for the benefits of the students.  The Board plans to present the project to the full Borough Council. 

Bond Referendum Basic Facts

What is a bond referendum?

A bond referendum is an election in which a school district asks voters for permission to borrow funds through the sale of bonds to finance large-scale projects. New Jersey school districts pursue this financial path for three main reasons: to help spread the cost of the construction projects over time (like how a homeowner finances a new roof or an addition with a line of credit), to have taxpayers who benefit from the project pay for it, and to tap into a type of state aid that is only available to districts with approved bond proposals.

When will the public get to vote on the expansion?

Our district is projected to pursue a bond referendum on March 12, 2024 from 2 pm to 8 pm. 

How can the Roseland School District benefit from a bond referendum?

Through a bond referendum, the district will be able to secure the necessary funds (approximately $12.5 million) to complete the proposed projects within the referendum. Outside of a referendum, it would require an extended number of years of saving excess surplus in order to secure the funds necessary to complete the projects. Often, this is not financially feasible. A bond referendum allows the district to obtain the necessary funds now, and spread payments over a period of years. In addition, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) currently offers a program where districts are eligible for substantial state aid funding for part of the cost to help offset the annual bond payments. This program is only available for voter-approved bond referendums.

Why use bond funding instead of the annual budget?

The Roseland School District’s annual budget covers costs of day-to-day operations, salaries, supplies and regular maintenance, along with funding for our educational programs. The district has built up Capital Reserve but has dedicated those funds to repair the roof through Regular Operating District Grants (ROD Grants).  The benefit of utilizing a bond referendum is a strategic approach that allows the district to tap into state aid that otherwise wouldn’t be available to us. 

Project Specifics

Where will the addition be located? 

An addition to the Lester C. Noecker School will address space and capacity challenges. The new addition will extend off the Sierchio Gym.

What will the project include?

• 8 classrooms

• 2 small group instructional spaces 

• 1 storage room 

• PLUS: Renovations to the existing building, including: 

  • creating two additional small group instruction spaces by renovation existing space

  • HVAC replacements

  • Window replacements 

  • Boiler replacements

Financial Information

What are the estimated costs and what is the estimated tax impact?

The addition to the building is estimated to cost approximately $8.2 million. The replacements of HVAC units, windows, and boilers are estimated to cost approximately $4.3 million, for a total referendum cost of approximately $12.5 million.

The proposed renovations, alterations, additions, and improvements to the school building will have a “net zero” impact on the taxpayers. There are two components that contribute to a “net zero” impact: expiring debt, and state aid funding. The school district is currently making payments on existing debt that will mature in 2025. Using current interest rates, the payments that the district will incur as a result of new debt from a voter-approved referendum will not exceed the current payments of the existing debt. Therefore, the combination of expiring debt payments, and new debt payments of lesser or equal value, will result in a “net zero” tax impact. In addition, the state aid funding that the district will receive from the NJDOE will further help to offset the cost of a voter-approved referendum, and further contribute to a “net zero” tax impact.

What is the state aid portion of the project?

The state aid portion is approximately $1.5 million. 

Doesn’t the District have outstanding debt? 

Yes, due to the existing debt maturing in 2025. 

The borough is being reassessed.  What impact will the reassessment have?

The purpose of a reassessment or revaluation is to make sure that similar properties are treated equally. While the values of some properties go up and others go down over time, a revaluation brings the assessments back in line. However, the total amount to be raised to pay the debt will not change. With the new construction in the borough, more properties will share in the cost and reduce the allocation of cost to existing property owners. 

Miscellaneous 

Why can’t our 6th graders move to West Essex Middle School?

We only have three sections of 6th grade and with the projected enrollment increase, making these three rooms available would not be sufficient.

How many students will be in each classroom if the referendum fails and the projection enrollment increase is accurate?

By September of 2026, grades K-2 would have 26 to 30 students and grades 3-6 would have 28 to 32

students.

What else will be affected if it fails?

Programs such as art, music, world language, G&T, and technology will need to be held in the classroom or cafeteria instead of their own designated spaces. This will have an adverse effect on these programs.

What can parents & community members do to help?

Be sure to vote on March 12 from 2 pm to 8 pm and s

Any additional questions can be submitted to gleone@RoselandNJBOE.org

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