comfortable margin
in both towns
Voters approve revamping
of RFH heating system
Measure passed by
comfortable margin
in both towns
BY SANDI CARPELLO
Staff Writer
RUMSON — Voters here and in Fair Haven approved the regional high school district’s plan to spend $14.6 million to purchase a new geothermal HVAC system and make other related improvements at the school.
To raise the money, the district will issue bonds that will be repaid over a term of 15 years.
The measure passed by a better than 2-1 margin in the district. Fair Haven’s voters supported the measure by a more than 3-1 margin, with 538 voting in favor and 157 opposed. The final tally in Rumson was 530 in favor and 297 opposed for the total tally of 1068 to 454.
Turnout in both towns was relatively low with roughly 17 percent of registered voters going to the polls in both towns.
Forty percent of the total project cost will be funded through a $5.8 million state grant, and the remaining $8.7 million will be raised through taxes.
The tax impact of approving the project will mean an extra $23.81 per $100,000 of assessed valuation per year for Fair Haven residents and a $54.31 per $100,000 of assessed valuation increase per year for Rumson residents.
The school district has been debt-free since 1996.
"The RFH Board of Education believes this is the right time for this [project]" said Board of Education President Ann Rossbach. "We have been approved for a New Jersey state funding grant that will allow us to offset 40 percent of the costs associated with this project. [Plus], this is a good time to secure low-interest rate loans."
Describing the current 68-year-old system as "fragile, inefficient and not up to par" with the recommended standards for air circulation in learning environments, Board of Education officials said the new geothermal system, which came highly recommended by three independent engineering firms, is the most cost-effective, long-term solution.
By definition, a geothermal system provides heating and cooling by transferring the warmer temperature of the ground in the winter and cooler temperature of the ground in the summer to heat and cool the building. It uses the earth’s natural thermal energy by circulating water through closed loops buried approximately 400 feet below the ground.
July 2002 GPU statistics indicate that there are 48 state school districts operating with geothermal. Neptune, Long Branch, and Belmar school districts are currently installing similar systems.
Other related furnishings, equipment and site work include upgrades to the high school’s electrical system, improvements to the fire protection and suppression systems, and the installation of energy-efficient windows where major heat loss occurs. The majority of the interior construction would be scheduled during non-school hours, summer vacations, and school breaks.
Officials expect the project to begin in March 2004 and be completed in June 2006.
For more information about the project, log onto www.rfhhs.org.