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Board of education President John Notte Jr. said those funds were earmarked for improvements including installation of tennis courts at West Morris Mendham and the purchase of property for development of a field at West Morris Central.

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I don't think reading the "Observer-Tribune" will provide you the facts

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I don't know what imbalance you refer to

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Go to a board meeting and ask, or, call your rep.

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There is info posted on the district website.

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I don't think the school board is any more secretive than any of the local councils.

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They are all guided by Open Public Record Laws.

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Let's not get too dramatic here.

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West Morris Regional High School District
Special Question Vote – September 27, 2005

What is the purpose of this special question vote?

The Board of Education is seeking permission from the taxpayers to transfer up to $2 million dollars from their capital reserve account to the construction program at the high schools.

Why is it being held now?

Bids for the two high school construction projects are coming in this month. The bids for West Morris Mendham have come in over budget twice. The Board of Education wants to award these projects as quickly as possible so as to avoid any delays and further cost escalation.

What will it cost?

Since the money in the capital reserve account was approved in past budget votes, there is no tax impact.

If the money is already there, why do I need to vote?

Unlike town and county governments, the money in the board of education’s capital reserve account can only be spent with taxpayer approval. Such expenditures of capital reserve are normally part of the annual budget vote.


What will be the effect of a “yes” vote?

Your taxes WILL NOT INCREASE. Money will be transferred from one account to another, and may be spent (if needed) only on the construction and renovation projects.



What will be the effect of a “no” vote?

Depending upon the cumulative bid numbers from both projects, there could be significant cuts made to both projects. And the completion dates of both projects would most likely be pushed back.

The students are already crowded into our schools; a delay will mean more crowding, fewer courses offered, and larger class sizes for at least a year more.

Has this problem occurred in other districts?

Yes. A number of districts have gone back to the voters for additional monies after their projects were bid and came in too high. Some examples are:

Harding BOE required a supplemental bond of $1.5 million on a $6 million dollar project.

Saddlebrook BOE required a supplemental bond of $ 5.9 million on an $18 million dollar project.

Tewksbury BOE required a supplemental bond of $1.5 million on a $13 million dollar project.

In all three cases the voters approved the referenda for additional bond issues.

Is this situation different from the others?

Yes. The board is not asking to borrow additional monies.
The funds would come out of existing capital reserves.
There is no tax impact.

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West Morris

A sampling of voters emerging from polls in Mendham and Washington Township Tuesday revealed sharply varying opinions.

Cathy Malman of Mendham, whose son is a Mendham High School freshman, said she voted yes. Her son, she said, "is in a crowded classroom. I think his class is the biggest that's come through. The project is supposed to alleviate the overcrowding. I hope it does."

Another yes vote was cast by Gay Grier of Mendham. She said, "It's money that's already there and it's not costing the taxpayers any extra money."

James Cillo of Mendham voted no. "Eighty percent of your taxes go there (to the schools) and it's about time we start cutting. Let's get back to the three R's and stop all these frivolous programs," he said.

In Washington Township, George Bowden said he voted yes. His daughter is a freshman at West Morris Central High School. "I believe the quicker it can be done the better off the school will be and the easier it will be for the students," he said.

Tina Leslie, also of Washington Township, voted no. "The school board keeps saying they need more money for this more money for that and although they say the taxes won't go up, it's going to affect us at some point," she said

The West Morris Regional High School District asked voters from its five sending districts to authorize pulling $2 million from a capital reserve account to put toward improvements at the two high schools. A $35.8 million referendum was approved last year in the regional district, which serves the Chesters, Mendhams and Washington Township, but construction estimates have come in higher than expected.

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"Effectively immediately, the WMRHSD will post only official meeting minutes. Meeting minutes become official after they have been approved by the Board of Education."

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TEACHERS NON-TENURE SECOND YEAR


NAME RATIO LEVEL STEP SALARY
Berish, Judy 1.00 2 8 45,348.00
Erb, Rebecca 1.00 1 2 40,687.00
McCaffrey, Herbert 1.00 1 13 51,393.00
Miranda, Paula 1.00 4 11 52,307.00
Silacci, Judith 1.00 5 9 50,788.00
Skeele, Martin 1.00 7 9 53,102.00
Wellet, Debra 1.00 5 8 49,575.00

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...In Mendham Borough, 206 voted in favor and 123 voted against. With 3,653 registered voters in the borough, about 10 percent or 329 residents voted....

...The $3.5 million capital reserve fund had been earmarked for other projects at the high schools. It included $550,00 for tennis courts at Mendham High School, $175,000 for a turning lane off Route 24 to Mendham High, $400,000 for roofing projects at both schools, $200,000 for a West Morris Central field purchase and improvement, $90,000 for renovated bathrooms at West Morris Central, $40,000 for renovated classrooms at West Morris Central and partial payment toward a sewer line extension for West Morris Central High School.

School board president John Notte would not say which of the capital reserve fund projects would now not be completed because of the $2 million transfer.

Mendham Township Mayor Richard Krieg said he hoped work on the tennis courts would not be postponed.

"I trust this (transfer) will not take away the tennis courts that have been promised to our students for a number of years," Krieg said. "Another portion of the capital reserve is for building maintenance and if that is postponed it could cost us dearly in the future."

Notte said construction could begin in November at Mendham High School.

But West Morris Central High School will have further delays, said Notte. The first round of bids that came in Thursday, Sept. 22, for West Morris Central High were 10 percent higher than expected and will have to be re-bid, said Notte.

Spinelli said he was pleased with the election results.

"The regional school did the prudent thing," Spinelli said. "They played it safe by having these additional funds for construction. They’re planning for the possibility of these higher bids."

Notte said the school board met with all five municipalities except Mendham to discuss the special election.

Officials from the five municipalities said they were pleased with the election results but had varied views on the $2 million transfer.

Mendham Mayor Richard Kraft said the Borough Council doesn't take a position on school issues but that officials have met with the school board to discuss Tuesday's referendum.

Krieg said Mendham Township was the only member municipality that didn't meet with the regional school board about the special election.

"We were anxious to meet with them. Our representative on the regional school board, Meg Berlin, was not available. I would have been happy with having someone else come down and talk to us about this. We are also anxious about taxes and we'd like assurances that this transfer won’t cause a raise in taxes," Krieg said.

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The regular Board meeting scheduled for Monday, October 3, has been cancelled. It has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 6 at the West Morris Mendham High School Library.

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OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - John Notte, Board President (approx. 8:40)
The Board respectfully requests that public comments be limited to 5 minutes or less per person. Additional comments may be submitted to the Board in writing.

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In light of a previously referenced permanent disability circumstance I am unable to attend board meetings and therefore request the minor accommodation that the following questions be asked of board members during the public comment portion of the October 6th meeting. (as no verbatim record of board meetings is produced please provide a summary of the board's response) ...- thank you for your cooperation and consideration.

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Gary,
I have confirmed that your message below was printed out and given to the Board of Education for the October 4, 2005, meeting.
Barbara

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Mr. Notte opened the meeting to the public at 8:48 p.m.

A member of the public from Mendham Borough advised the Board to communicate the construction schedule with the neighborhood. Also she cautioned the Board about domes and heavy snow and then requested clarification on the Graduations Requirements policy.
Mr. Notte closed the meeting to the public at 8:51 p.m.

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$1.7M contract award good news for school district
By BOB THOMAS Staff Writer
05/16/2007

Latest bids for remaining work at West Morris Central come in much lower than expected

WASHINGTON TWP. – An abundance of bidders have helped the final phase of the West Morris Regional High School expansion program come in at $1.7 million under estimate.

The winning bid of $21,234,000 was submitted by Chanree Construction Co., of Ortley Beach and accepted by the at meeting, Monday, May 14. Chanree is the same construction firm that built Benedict A. Cucinella School on Naughright Road.

“Congratulations are in order,” said John Notte, school board president. “We were able to hold the line in what we went out to referendum for.”

Because of the economies realized during construction at both high schools, the most recent contract also included options such as 82 additional parking spaces near the new auditorium, science lab equipment, blinds and new air circulation controls.

Gerry Rubino, project architect for DiCara/Rubino of Wayne, said the dozen bids submitted showed “strong interest” in the project on the part of the construction community.

He said another bidder, who was otherwise qualified, failed to meet the submission deadline by just three minutes.

Rubino said the top five bidders were within 1.5 percent of each other. The top eight bids were separated by only 5 percent.

Rubino said a more typical bidding pattern would have just the top three bidders within 10 percent of each other.

Money Left

The school board took no official action on the $1.7 million remaining in the $35.84 million bond referendum authorized by voters in 2004. But Rubino said a number of long term needs for the schools could be met with the excess funds.

He said a system wide update to the West Morris Central fire alarm system was needed. A new, addressable system in the school’s newest addition can pinpoint the source of any alarm. Rubino said that for safety reasons, the fire alarms systems in the older parts of the school should be updated to match that technology.

A new public address and intercom system may also be in the offing. Rubino said newer technology could allow staff members to communicate with each other using the same system as public address announcements.

He said he would also like to see the board address the overall building security components, to expand entrance checkpoints to the entire school.

“This is the best time to take on these needs. You’ll get a better price and it will be easier scheduling next summer’s work if these additional projects are added ahead of time,” Rubino said.

Notte said he was encouraged that Rubino had identified areas that had to do with security and safety.

Business administrator Douglas Pechanec said he was not as confident about the amount of surplus as some others.

“We had a lot of additional soft costs, such as revised plans,” Pechanec said. “We had to go through several levels to get to this point, so I don’t find myself as confident about the $1.7 million.”

Pechanec said work on West Morris Mendham High School is on pace. He said the steel framework of the addition is complete and work is now involving a number of interior trades, such as electrical and plumbing.

“We are feeling a lot more positive than just six months ago,” Pechanec said.

Addition of the new roof should begin shortly, Pechanec said.

Among the items covered in the $21.2 million contract for West Morris Central are a new gymnasium, new auditorium, six new classrooms, conversion of the old gymnasium to student service offices and conversion of the old offices to additional classroom space.

Pechanec said the hookup of West Morris Central to the sewer line extension on Bartley Road was awaiting the installation of a pump station further up line toward Long Valley. Pechanec said that was expected to be complete by June 30.


©Recorder Community Newspapers 2007

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