Secaucus voters spoke very loudly when passing a $14 million bond that would expand the middle and high school and build an auditorium.
Although only slightly over 18 percent of registered voters cast ballots during the special election on Sept. 24, nearly every voting district passed two ballot questions by a margin of 2-1.
The school district, which has 1,800 total students, sought $9.9 million on the first question to renovate and expand the middle/school high school complex, with some repairs to two elementary schools. The second question asked for slightly over $4 million to construct an auditorium – a project left out from the original high school construction plans in the early 1970s.
Voters approved the first question 1,106 to 585, and the second question, 952 to 627.
Of the 14 voting districts town-wide, only two districts voted down the second question by a slim margin.
School officials will get back about $4.1 million of the approved $14 bond, thanks to the state’s $8.6 billion school construction act passed in 2000 – under which the state guarantees a refund of up to 40 percent of approved projects.
The vote will increase local taxes on the average assessed home of $185,000 by about $60 per year.
Superintendent of Schools Constantino Scerbo was delighted with the outcome.
“I was here when the auditorium was defeated in a 1972 referendum,” Scerbo said. “It has been a long wait seeing this come to fruition.”
Scerbo credited the hard work by the board, an open mind by the voting public and support from town hall in getting this referendum passed.
An unusually animated board member, Michael Schlemm, called this a victory for everyone in town, and said it showed the voters’ desire to provide for the arts what it has provided for recreation.
“This is a piece that will truly make Secaucus into the jewel of Hudson County,” he said, noting that – as an engineer – he looks forward to the upcoming months in preparation for construction. “This has been something that has been worked on for over five years. I think the buildings and grounds committee need to be complemented for their hard work and their dedication.”
Schlemm said the next step includes developing precise plans for the project that will be submitted to the state for final approval. This phase will likely be concluded by the end of December, at which point he hoped to have bids out by April or May.
“We should be able to begin work doing renovations in the school by the time the kids get out of school in June,” he said.
Most of the renovation work will be done over the summer, with the work on the auditorium continuing beyond September 2003. Science labs, however, will not be ready until Sept. 2004, partly because of the new display cases required.
“They have to be custom made,” said board member Michael Pesci, expressing his own thanks to the public for supporting the measure.
Schlemm predicted that the auditorium would become a focal point of community programs, and a great enhancement to the cultural aspects of the community such as play performance, chorus, band production and such.
Ed Rittberg, one of the key spokespeople for the referendum over the last few months, said voters responded to what he called “a fair and reasonable” request, and said that each presentation before various parent-teacher organizations had generated positive response.
“I’m very proud of this board for the hard work it did over the last four and half years,” he said. “This was a win for the schools, a win for the town and a win for the taxpayers.”
Rittberg said this referendum would likely be the last request for money for the next 20 years, short of some unforeseen situation.
Board Member Bill Millevoi called it this the last piece in a complicated puzzle that will provide space in the schools for instruction in numerous areas, including art and music.
“I’m very happy for the children and for the whole town,” he said. “Because everybody will benefit from this.”
Mayor Dennis Elwell, who supported the referendum, said this was a vital project in keeping Secaucus an attractive community.
“Part of what makes Secaucus such a good place to live in are the schools, and it is important that we maintain them,” he said.
Elwell said the board made a compelling case for the referendum, and that’s why voters responded positively. Work will include completion of the roof and installation of new windows at Clarendon School, and the installation of new boilers. The Huber Street School roof will see new windows and doors. The currently underused space taken up by auto and woodworking shops will be turned into seven classrooms and two small instruction rooms at the Middle School/High School. This building’s roof will also be replaced. The bond also provides for the renovation of the running track and the renovation and expansion of the tennis courts. Science rooms will be expanded. New music rooms will be constructed in a new section near the new auditorium.
“I think the board presented this well to the public,” said Board Member Susan Pirro.