Board of Education to drop requests for new gym, theater
By: Steve Bates
WEST AMWELL The South Hunterdon Board of Education decided Tuesday that its next referendum will comprise only the plans contained in question one of the failed three-tiered plan presented to voters in September.
The decision came at the end of a nearly three-hour discussion between the board and about a dozen members of the public who attended the special planning session at the high school.
Some members of the public said only a referendum that solely covered necessary facility maintenance would pass. Others pleaded every item included in the previous referendum was a necessity. Still others offered strategies on how the board should approach the public with its next plan.
The board voted unanimously to pitch question one, reinforcing the repeated mantra it has a responsibility to present something to voters March 12 that can pass.
Question one asked voters to approve $11.1 million for a 14,800-square-foot technology and science wing and repairs to the school facility, including a new boiler and roof.
Questions two and three which called for the construction of a new gymnasium and an auditorium will remain a part of the district’s long-range facilities plan, but won’t be pitched to voters at this time, board president Allie Meehan said.
The state Economic Development Authority recently told the school district the elements contained in question one contained no "excessive costs." The absence of excessive costs is significant because this would be the first thing the state commissioner of education would look at if the next referendum fails, and the board appeals the decision to the commissioner.
If the next referendum is rejected by voters, chances are good the school district can win a favorable decision from the state in the event of an appeal. It was important for the board to provide Superintendent Cheryl Simone with some direction Tuesday so architects could come up with plans.
In order to be ready for March 12, the district needs to submit its new referendum plans to the state Department of Education by Dec. 1. Dr. Simone said a special meeting at the end of November most likely will be necessary in order for the board to sign off on the architectural plans.
The elements contained in question one of the previous referendum should remain intact as the proposal becomes the sole question of the March referendum. Dr. Simone said the architects may tweak certain renovation projects included in questions two and three because they are so vitally needed.
While the current plan may sound like a compromise that cuts out the gym and auditorium, few members of the public were happy with the direction the board is heading.
Marion Edwards, a Lambertville resident committed to a referendum plan that would cover only essentials, said she agreed new electrical wiring or a new roof may be needed but construction of new facilities was unacceptable.
"My thing is the bare necessities," she said. "I don’t believe in all these rooms. It’s utterly ridiculous."
Ms. Edwards asked the school board why the long-range facilities plan must include the creation of new science classrooms. She advocated the retrofitting of existing science rooms.
Board member Gregory Danese, who is chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, said the district had learned it would be cheaper to renovate the existing science room for use as general classrooms and create new science classrooms from scratch rather than the other way around.
Ms. Edwards was joined in her comments by Dorothy Anthes who said many area seniors find it difficult to pay their bills and can’t handle the burden of a large-scale referendum.
While she said there was no question facility upgrades and repairs which make up many of the elements within question one were needed, she couldn’t agree with the creation of additional instructional space or a plan to move administration offices into the space now occupied by the school media center. She said if the school board set priorities based upon need and worked from there, voters would be much more supportive of its initiative.
On the other side, Lambertville resident Bob Dahl said he was bothered science is taught as a "book subject" at South Hunterdon, rather than as hands-on activity because of safety concerns.
His comments were echoed by a few people who were concerned the current status of school facilities will make it difficult for students to get into good colleges and for the district to attract better teaching candidates.
Steve Wolock said there was no reason to put elements from questions two or three on the next referendum because people voted so strongly against the proposals in September. He said he understood some projects are cheaper to do all at once, but sometimes people just can’t afford to go about it like that.
Mr. Wolock gave the example of working to restore a house. He said some projects have to be taken in steps.
"I would rather have something than nothing," said Lambertville resident Greg LeMunyan.
He also supported scrapping the elements of questions two and three for now so the upcoming referendum could be focused solely on essentials.
West Amwell resident Dave Beaumont doubted whether the board had an adequate representation of the public at the meeting for it to make a solid decision on the scope of the next referendum. He feared if the school district does not attempt to meet with the strongly vocal voters who were against the previous referendum, which he said included senior citizens, the new referendum was doomed.
Before the board took action, Mr. Meehan characterized the discussion by suggesting that all audience members seemed to be of the same mindset.
"We’ve heard mostly positive comments," said Mr. Meehan about the public comments. "People seem to be for change and know that the time is now."

