MONTVALE—The votes are in, and the special election bond referendum of Dec. 14 has passed, meaning the way is clear for significant upgrades, including construction, at Memorial Elementary School and Fieldstone Middle School.
Turnout was low. Approximately 14% of Montvale voted in-person or via mail-in ballots to approve a nearly $30 million school bond referendum Dec. 14, 603 to 342, according to unofficial numbers released by the municipal clerk.
Certification of election results by the Bergen County Clerk’s Office will likely occur by late December, said officials.
Here’s a rundown of what the referendum means to Montvale’s schools:
- Five new classrooms at Memorial, and “the thoughtful re-purposing” of existing space at Fieldstone;
- STEAM labs at both schools to blend the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. (STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking);
- Redesigned media center at Fieldstone, including an ADA-compliant entrance;
- Renovated restrooms in the schools, and the addition of a stand-alone restroom next to the athletic fields at Fieldstone;
- At both schools: more energy efficient HVAC systems; new boilers; upgraded classroom doors and locksets; and upgraded fire alarm systems.
Following the tally, Superintendent Darren Petersen told Pascack Press, “We worked hard to educate the voters of Montvale, and they responded by taking the time to learn about the details like how state aid will cover about one quarter of the project costs. That’s money that Montvale businesses and residents contribute to the state, and now our community will get nearly $7.2 million of it back.”
The 945 total votes that were counted by the close of polls on Dec. 14 showed the referendum passed 64% to 36%.
Those totals included all mail-in votes received at the Bergen County Clerk’s Office by Dec. 14. Election officials said that any late-arriving mail-in votes postmarked Dec. 14 would be counted if received by Monday, Dec. 20 at the clerk’s office.
According to county elections officials, Montvale has 6,876 registered voters. During the Nov. 2 General Election, 3,042 borough voters went to the polls, about 45% voter turnout.
In addition to late mail-in ballots, final vote totals will include a “small amount” of provisional ballots cast, unlikely to affect election results, said Borough Clerk Maureen Iarossi-Alwan.
County Superintendent of Elections Debra Francica told us 28 provisional ballots cast during the election still need to be vetted.
Sabrina Taranto, a Bergen County Clerk’s Office elections supervisor, told Pascack Press that by Dec. 14 the county had received 245 mail-in ballots on the referendum. She said 163 approved and 82 were opposed.
Taranto also said that any mail-in voters whose ballots were questioned or left something blank were required to “cure” the ballot omissions no later than Dec. 27 to be counted.
Within hours of polls closing, the district trumpeted its win on its website. The board thanked all voters “who expressed their opinions” and said it looks forward to “taking the next important steps for Montvale’s future.”
Board President Ernie DiFiore told Pascack Press on the morning of Dec. 15 he wasn’t sure if the low turnout helped or hurt the referendum’s chances, but noted he saw young and old residents at the polling place where he voted.
“Some people are not going to want to spend the money. You hear both sides, and it’s our job to get the information out and I think we did,” he said.
DiFiore added, “Planning for the future is always a tricky thing. So when we looked at this plan, we wanted it to be flexible and to accommodate the future needs.”
Petersen said, “We knew the citizens of Montvale cared about the future of their schools and, in fact, the important role those schools play in the value of the community. It is gratifying to see it in the poll numbers.”
Mayor Michael Ghassali, pulling for yes votes ahead of the referendum, told residents an average Montvale taxpayer with a home assessed at $524,788 will pay an extra $325 per year in taxes for 25 years. He said the cost could be reduced as new housing developments underway are added to the tax rolls.
District officials noted that they had recently finished paying off debt that voters approved 20 years ago to build the Memorial kindergarten wing and gym.
Petersen said, “So much research and community engagement went into the planning for this bond proposal, and we were confident that a bond referendum would be the best way to accomplish the district’s goals. By ‘best way,’ I mean the most financially responsible and time efficient approach to addressing our old building systems and upgrading our instructional facilities.”