Work on $7.2 million worth of construction projects in the Upper Freehold Regional School District is expected to be sufficiently completed before students return for the start of the 2019-20 school year.
On Aug. 21, the Board of Education presented an update on the status of the construction projects. Voters in Upper Freehold Township and Allentown approved a multi-million dollar referendum in November 2018.
Information about the projects was provided by Charles Romanoli of New Road Construction Management and Barbara Malewicz of Spiezle Architectural Group.
The referendum consists of the following work:
• Roof repair and replacement at Newell Elementary School, Allentown High School and Global Learning Center and Vo/Ag building, $5.86 million;
• Emergency generator at the Newell Elementary School, $203,125;
• Auditorium repairs at Allentown High School, $1.12 million.
Work has been performed during the summer and Romanoli said it would be sufficiently completed so as not to interfere with the opening of the schools.
“The contractor worked feverishly in the (high school) auditorium to get it ready for your back to school night,” Romanoli said. “We think that’s going to occur.”
He said two light bars, which are each about 40 feet long, and sound panels would be the biggest components missing when the school year begins.
“[The light bars] are a big and specialty system that has a long lead time on it,” the construction manager said. “Once (the equipment) arrives, the contractor will arrange to get back in there to do that work, as well as the sound panels on the side walls that were part of a change order. The sound panels are on order and as soon as soon as they arrive, the contractor will install those.”
Regarding the emergency generator at the Newell Elemtary School, Romanoli said that as of the date of the presentation, the contractor had completed the excavation for the location of the generator and was nearly finished putting electrical and gas service into the trench where the generator will be installed.
The installation of the generator, which he said would take one day, is expected to take place by the end of September or the beginning of October.
For the roof repairs and replacement, the construction manager said metal trim, gutters and trough spouts were not on site as of the date of the presentation, but he said the work would be completed by September, and the contractor estimated that brick repointing would also be finished before school opens.
The estimated interest on the referendum projects is $3.25 million, for a total cost of $10.438 million. State funding in the amount of $3.549 million is expected, leaving taxpayers in Allentown and Upper Freehold with an obligation of $6.889 million, according to district administrators.
With the passage of the referendum, the owner of a home assessed at the Allentown average of $290,270 is expected to pay an additional $71 per year in school taxes for 20 years. The owner of a home assessed at the Upper Freehold Township average of $473,400 is expected to pay an additional $115 per year in school taxes for 20 years, according to district administrators.