In my conversation with North Brunswick Superintendent of Schools Brian Zychowski, he intimated that the state was more amenable to renovation than the construction of new facilities, as is being proposed in a Dec. 13 referendum.
Such being the case — why isn’t Maple Meade School renovated instead of proposing $48 million worth of new construction down on Route 130? Maple Meade School is not some Colonial American relic. It was built in 1926, joining structures of the period like the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the George Washington Bridge and the Holland Tunnel.
True, state law does require that we provide education opportunities for disabled or special-needs students from 3 to 21 years of age. However, it does not mandate a 3-4-year-old daycare operation. This program should be revisited to determine actual classrooms required for special-needs students.
The superintendent is of the opinion that tax dollars generated by the MainStreetNB transit village project on Route 1 will cover the debt service for the $48 million new school construction. Renovating Maple Meade School could negate the need for a new school at this time. Wouldn’t it be nice if some new tax dollars came into the municipal coffers to relieve the burden on the taxpayers?
Vote “no” to the referendum on Dec. 13.
Richard A. Pender
North Brunswick