Kim Zablow
I am writing to let the community know the facts regarding the upcoming Board of Education referendum vote on Dec. 8 for two projects in the Bordentown Regional School District – solar panels and athletic fields. I am the current Board of Education vice president, however, this letter is not meant to speak on behalf of the Board of Education, I am writing this letter as a taxpayer and parent of three children in the school district. I know there is a lot of inaccurate information in the community. I would like to try to clear that up so the voters can make an informed decision on Dec. 8.
Solar panels: Based on a feasibility study, the high school roof is of optimum size and location for a solar panel system. The number of panels installed will provide more energy than is needed in the building, allowing the district to sell the excess energy back to the utility providers. This is obviously a win-win, both for the environment and the school district. We will be reducing our building energy costs and earning revenue at the same time. The money we earn on this project will more than cover the costs of having the solar panels installed; in fact it will even cover the costs of our second project.
Athletic fields: The new high school is now in its fourth year. We are still busing kids over to the middle school and to various other fields in the community for both practice and games. This is costing us transportation money. The original plan for the high school did include fields – grass fields. The money for the grass fields is still sitting in the school bank account. It has not gone anywhere. It has not been spent.
The board has had four years to think about and research fields. Over time it has become quite clear that turf is the better way to go. While turf does cost more to install, it also has a longer life expectancy, will be useable much sooner than grass which would need at least two years to mature, will prevent injuries to our kids and is useable year round. However, the biggest advantage of turf is savings to the district. It is much more expensive in both man hours and dollars to properly maintain grass fields year after year.
Both of these projects qualify for State Debt Service Aid. Yes, that is our tax money we paid to the state, but at least we will see some of it returned to our community. Isn’t that a plus? Bottom line – the money sitting in the bank that would have paid for grass fields plus the revenue from the sale of excess energy back to the utility company, will cover the cost of installing and maintaining turf fields instead of grass. Another win-win for our community and our kids.
As you travel across the state of New Jersey, very rarely do you see a high school without athletic fields. There are some really good grass fields and some really bad grass fields. (The difference between the two usually being maintenance.) I have never yet seen a bad turf field. I have seen Bordentown games get canceled time and time again, not because of weather, but because of field conditions. I have walked across our fields four days after it has rained and the field is like a swamp. Spectators are sinking in it on the sidelines, I have no idea how the kids are playing on it. But yet they do. It is all they have. I have heard comments when other teams come to play on our fields. ‘This is their Varsity field? Our JV field isn’t this bad’. I have heard comments when we go to other schools, ‘You guys have that new high school don’t you? How come you don’t have fields there?’ At least now I can tell them, we are working on it.
As a township-elected school board member, one of my promises is to be fiscally responsible. We have to look at the big picture. Sometimes that means spending a little more money now, to save even more down the road. Don’t we all do that daily when we take advantage of buy one get one free at the grocery store on a box of cereal or a loaf of bread? Well, that’s essentially what we are trying to do for our kids and community. Only we are getting two big projects for free. We are saving energy and we are installing turf athletic fields. The best part, it will not cost one penny to the taxpayer. A win-win doesn’t get much better than that. Isn’t that what we want for our kids and community?
So while I urge you to vote on Dec. 8, I also invite the community to come out to the Public Forum being held on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the high school library. If you have questions, we want to hear them. We want to put your mind at ease. It has taken us four years to get to this point, give us one hour of your time to learn the facts so you can make an informed decision on Dec. 8.
