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BY JOHN SNYDER
OF PASCACK PRESS
EMERSON, N.J.—In a squeaker vote that sent county election officials into overtime, residents said yes Tuesday to a $13.3 million school bond that will upgrade Memorial Elementary School, Patrick M. Villano Elementary School, and Emerson Junior/Senior High School by September 2020.
State aid of $2.4 million is expected to cover some costs.
The results came out Friday at press time and were confirmed to Pascack Press by Bergen County Board of Elections Commissioner Richard Miller.
Initial word reached many residents via Superintendent of Schools Brian P. Gatens on Twitter, who cheered, “Go Cavos!”
On Tuesday night, unofficial results had voters backing the proposal 651-630, with 42 absentee and provisional ballots uncounted. Miller said 15 provisional ballots were for the proposal and three opposed it.
By contrast, according to the Bergen County Clerk’s 2017 general election results, during that year’s gubernatorial election about 46.3 percent—or 2,330 of Emerson’s 5,025 registered voters—cast ballots.
Residents holding forth on a closed Emerson group on Facebook run a gamut of reactions. One person said he expects those in favor will be surprised by the actual tax bill.
Another asked for comment wrote, “It appeared to me that parents of school-age children and those people in routine contact with the school were more routinely updated and better informed than others outside that sphere. There was a lot of information on the schools website, but you had to be told it was there and not everyone was aware.”
(That said, the referendum has been covered in the local news. What’s your view? Pascack Press welcomes letters to the editor.)
This proposal addresses the needs a citizen-led facilities committee identified as the most pressing and vital to the quality of the community’s schools.
The total cost of renovations and upgrades is estimated at $13,368,446. With voter approval, estimated state aid will contribute approximately $2,389,062 over the life of the bond, reducing the local share to $10,979,384.
The plan carries a tax impact estimated at $23 per month ($276 per year) for a home assessed at the borough average of $439,049, the district said.
The district’s most recent referendum, in 1995, upgraded windows, roofs, boilers, bathrooms, and classroom ventilation.
“This proposed referendum is more focused on educational quality so Emerson students are prepared for their future and so that our schools can remain competitive,”the district said in the run-up to the vote.
This was a nail biter for sure. County election officials also had to parse a close vote in Rutherford, and gave themselves until 4 p.m. Friday to certify both elections.
Plan highlights
Security Enhancement
- Remodel EJSHS’s main entrance to create an enclosed, secure vestibule.
- Renovate entrances at Memorial and add safety enhancements, including new fire warning systems, at other buildings.
- Eliminate trailers at Memorial and bring the Pre-K classes into Memorial School.
- Create secure access to the Wellness Center and Auxiliary Gym at EJSHS.
- Reposition the Memorial playground to create an enclosed recreation area.
Educational Space
- Move students and instruction off the stage and out of the basement and into appropriate classrooms at both Memorial and Villano Elementary Schools.
- At Memorial, discontinue the use of trailers and build nine new classrooms
- Convert the former Memorial Media Center and adjacent prep room to a new Art Room. Modify the former Memorial Gymnasium to repurpose it as a Media Center and Music Room. This improvement would end the practice of offering instruction on rolling carts.
- At Villano, create instructional space by shifting the third grade to Memorial. This will end the practice of instruction in the school basement and on the cafeteria stage.
- At EJSHS, construct a new wing comprised of three modern laboratory-equipped science classrooms to replace the decades-old lab space, and convert former lab space into classrooms.
- Districtwide, install climate control systems, including air conditioning, to all new and renovated spaces.
Exterior Redesign
- Reposition Memorial playground to create an enclosed recreation area that will help keep our youngest students safe.
- Both Memorial and EJSHS will have newly redesigned entrances adding to both the security of the building as well as their aesthetic appeal.
- Improve traffic flow and parking at Memorial.
After-School Space
- Build a new Multi-Purpose Room/Gymnasium at Memorial with storage, new kitchen, and spectator seating. This facility would be used for school programs, Emerson Recreation, Boys and Girls Club, and community events.
For more information, visit emersonschools.org.