Referendum approval would cost residents 'pennies a day'

It's all about the money. Voters here need to understand that if they vote down any of the four questions in a special Sept. 29 referendum, the state aid the district stands to receive won't be coming back, Brick Township Board of Education President Daniel J. Woska said.

The whole thing about this is the availability of the money from the state," Woska said. "Fifty-seven million dollars. There's not going to be another chance for us to get that kind of money. If we don't use it, it goes away, to somebody else. And this is the only time when the state is going to help fund our construction projects."

The four questions total $172.9 million, with the district slated to receive $57 million in state aid if all four are approved.

The taxpayers' share would total $115,123,566 if voters OK all the questions. That translates into an extra $197 a year for a house assessed at the township average of $134,000.

"Times are tough," Woska said. "But the amount of money it will cost per day is minimal for what we are going to get out of it. You upgrade the schools, it raises the value of our homes in this town. We have to take advantage of it. You can afford pennies a day."

Schools Superintendent Walter J. Hrycenko urged all residents to go to the polls.

"Whether you vote yes, which I hope you do, you need to vote," Hrycenko said. "If we have 10,000 people vote, I can live with the results much better than if we only have 2,000 vote. The community really needs to speak out on this. We feel this is what is important for the future of our students and our community. The community needs to say whether you are with us or not."

The polls are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 29.

The first question asks voters to approve $27 million in safety and security upgrades to replace locks and move the main offices and school entrances at all the elementary and middle schools to prevent intruders from entering the building. The district would receive $8.9 million from the state if the question is approved.

"All it would take is one incident and we would be all over the papers," Hrycenko said. "People would be all over us.

"We have a lot of custody issues," he added. "Lots of divorced parents. Those are all things I didn't have to deal with in high school. I've never seen anything like it this year with the custody issues. Those judges in family court have been very, very busy."

The second question deals with replacing heating and air conditioning systems and boilers and lighting in all schools, and the installation of solar panels on the Lake Riviera and Veterans Memorial middle schools. The total cost of the project is $41 million, with the district slated to receive $16.4 million from the state if the question is approved.

The third question asks voters to approve $12 million to expand the Primary Learning Center on Chambers Bridge Road for an all-day kindergarten and renovate the current Educational Enrichment Center on Hendrickson Avenue. The EEC would instead be used for preschool early childhood education. The state would reimburse the district $2.2 million if the question is approved.

The fourth and most expensive question comes at the end of the ballot: a $90.8 million renovation of Brick Township High School, which was built in 1958.

Plans call for a two-story science lab and classroom addition to be built in the current courtyard. Also included are a new three-court gymnasium, main office and entry additions, renovations of bathrooms, cafeterias and kitchen, replacement of water heaters and water coolers, electrical system upgrades, windows, doors, a new fire alarm system, a new geothermal systems, exterior and parking lot lighting, and conversion of rooms for the Pathways Alternative School, which has been relocated to the high school. Brick would receive $29.8 million from the state if voters approve the question.

"We have the best teachers in the world," Hrycenko said. "They deserve, as do our students, a safe place to work, which is energy efficient and allows them to have the culture in which students can really concentrate on learning, instead of worrying about 'I don't want to go to the bathroom because I don't like those bathrooms.'

"Our teachers have done so well for so long," he said. "I can just imagine how much better things will be if they have a better environment in which to work."

Both Woska and Hrycenko said the board pared down the amount from the $400 million "wish list" originally suggested by the Strategic Planning Committee.

The board will have to decide on whether to pursue another referendum in December if any of the questions fail, Woska said.

When school budgets fail, it's usually maintenance that takes the hit, Woska said.

"This is what's so critical," he said. "We can't pass budgets in this town. The taxpayers don't want to spend money, but they complain we have not been keeping up the schools with repairs. We can't do it.

"The only way for us to do the necessary repairs is for us to do them in one shot," he added. "Here's an opportunity to get 30 percent of the funding from the state. When do you have a chance to get 30 percent from the state?"

Woska said he realizes the current state of the economy is an issue for voters.