A report from a school board Ad Hoc Facilities Committee indicates there is definitely a need for a new school gymnasium and classrooms.
By:Sarah Winkelman
The school board received some information Tuesday that backed up what it already knew.
A report from its Ad Hoc Facilities Committee indicates there is definitely a need for a new school gymnasium and classrooms.
Facilities Committee members Richard Johnson and Jim Golubieski said the current gym, constructed in 1957, was built to accommodate a school with 300 students. There are now 549 students at the school and the district expects 558 for the 2001-2002 school year.
The committee estimates the price tag to be $6 million. The report said that up to 20 percent of the price could be offset by state funding. The report said the cost to the average resident for the additions would be $300 per year without state funding and $250 per year with funding.
The findings were presented during an open portion of the school board meeting.
At the meeting, resident Jim Taylor said he was not questioning the need for the gym, but he was concerned with the possible $6 million cost and the need for additional classrooms.
At a previous meeting the board authorized Chief School Administrator Robert Bartoletti to begin making plans and doing the necessary administrative work.
Dr. Bartoletti hopes to hire an architect and project manager in order to hold a referendum in February 2002.
Mr. Taylor said he was concerned about the cost of the gym, especially after the school’s newest addition, completed four years ago. He said many of the senior citizens in town could not afford the tax increase necessary for the gym project.
"Just how deep are Cranbury’s pockets?" he said.
Board President Joan Rue said the board must address the needs of the children. She said she recognizes that the majority of the people in town do not have children and said the board does not want to make life unbearable for them.
Mr. Taylor asked why the school board did not foresee the need for more classrooms when they built the addition four years ago.
"I am dismayed to hear that we need six more classrooms only four years after we added the addition," he said.
Mr. Taylor also was concerned with the amount of money the board would spend to hire an architect.
"If the referendum doesn’t pass in February, this will all be a waste of money. I don’t think we should be making any plans before we figure out how we’re going to pay for this," he said.
He asked the board to show the town how they were going to decrease the out-of-pocket costs for the residents before they proceeded.
Ms. Rue said the Facilities Committee had given the board a projection for the budget that will show it where it will be in five years. She assured Mr. Taylor that there was no way the board would proceed without having an idea what the budget would be in five years.
"We cannot offer tax relief if we decide to build this," she said.
Ms. Rue said the current gym is not adequate for the required state programs.
She said there are no other facilities in Cranbury that the Recreation Department, the school or the township can use for their gym programs.
The board agreed to get professional input and see where it could save money.
"There is no consensus that $6 million is the number we’re going for," Dr. Bartoletti said.
Board member David Andrews said there are no final plans and the board will hold public meetings throughout the process.