The Brainy Boro soon faces an important decision. On Dec. 14, we cast our votes on a $17.2 million dollar bond referendum to renovate Metuchen High School.
We owe it to our young people to vote yes.
This is a school that hasn’t had a major renovation since it opened during the Eisenhower Administration in 1958.
A lot has happened since then. The Beatles debuted, we passed the Civil Rights Act, men walked on the moon, I was born, Elvis died (or did he?), the Berlin Wall fell, and the computer was invented.
The renovation focuses on creating a safer, healthier and more learner-friendly environment for our children. Some of the key parts of the plan include modernizing the technology infrastructure, updating science labs, enhancing the library and improving the auditorium.
It means a better gymnasium, installation of all-season field turf, improved athletic fields, brighter lighting, new lockers, the addition of a fitness center, and much more.
The building will also become more energy-efficient, accessible to the disabled (our current building is non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), and most importantly, asbestos-free. All of these smaller renovations add up to a major improvement in our learning facility.
The finances make sense. If we do this now, it costs us $17 million. The entire renovation will cost $28 million, but the state of New Jersey, in a one-time construction reimbursement opportunity, is willing to kick in $11 million, or 40 percent of the cost.
Each day we wait, the cost of a potential renovation rises. Even if we don’t renovate the school immediately, this problem is not going away. The school will need to be renovated in the near future, and with this one-time influx of state money, clearly the future is now.
As central New Jersey has evolved from being an industrial economy to a post-industrial economy, the single greatest threat to our community is allowing our educational facilities to fall into disrepair. As families choose communities in the future, the No. 1 consideration will be education.
Our town possesses nearly every element a community needs to remain vibrant in this type of economy. We have educated residents; we have safe streets; we have excellent public transportation; we have a strong sense of community; indeed, we have excellent teachers. The only thing we lack is a top-notch educational facility.
I urge all Metuchenites to get informed on the subject by visiting either www.bulldog05.org or www.metuchenschools.org.
I also urge my fellow citizens to get out there and vote yes on Dec. 14. In the Brainy Boro, it seems like a no-brainer. Generations of Metuchen children will be grateful.
John A den L ewis