HILLSDALE—Eighty-nine percent of parents and residents who responded to an informal survey taken following three parent information forums held at the middle school favored the full replacement of George G. White Middle School, estimated to cost $82.5 million with an annual tax increase of about $1,300 on the typical Hillsdale homeowner for 20 years.
A final board decision on what option to take — repairs or replacement — is likely at the June 13 school board meeting.
The one-question unofficial survey administered by school district officials found that of 83 individual survey responses, 74 favored option 1, or full replacement of the 100-year-old middle school after they had heard the presentation on four possible options by architect Joseph DiCara of DiCara Rubino Architects of Wayne.
“Of the 83 respondents, 74 (approximately 90%) indicated Option 1, building a new facility is best; three respondents indicated to renovate and add-on and include a larger, new gymnasium; two indicated to renovate and add on while using the current gymnasium; and four indicated to only renovate and do not add on to the current structure. All respondents that attended the presentation were informed of the cost and setting impact of students,” Lombardy said in an email.
Moreover, he said, the school board’s consensus seemed to favor the full replacement of the middle school.
One major sticking point to doing the renovations at a lesser cost is that students could be displaced for up to two years, in trailers across the street, for an estimated $4 million cost, according to DiCara Iovino’s presentation.
For the $82.5 million in new construction, state aid will be “very, very low,” advised Lombardy. He said the approximate yearly $1,300 average cost to homeowners was calculated based on zero state aid.
The superintendent reported the survey findings at the May 9 school board meeting.
The George G. White Middle School parent forums to discuss referendum options were conducted in late April and early May by district officials to answer questions about the middle school upgrades, which include partial renovation options that start at about $25 million and go up to a new middle school at $82.5 million.
We reported on the district’s April 11 meeting that revealed the four options for upgrading the middle school. (See “George G. White estimates in,” Pascack Press, April 18, 2022) and noted that architect Joseph DiCara said that his presentation on middle school options and bonding costs would be posted online following the May 3 parent meeting.
However, district officials, including Lombardy, said that DiCara’s slide presentation offered on April 11, and shown at subsequent parent meetings, would likely not be available online before the planned June 13 school board vote on what option to select.
“Shortly after the BOE making its decision on which plan will be voted on by the public next year, we will launch a website that houses all this information and can serve as a resource for all,” Lombardy told Pascack Press.
“Of course, once we have that decision we will populate this site with the content to support our past process and the intricacies of our process as we move forward over the next year. Nonetheless, I welcome anyone’s communication if there is a question,” Lombardy added.
It was not clear why the slide show could not be put online before the board’s final vote — likely on June 13 — or what other forums or outreach school officials planned to present the middle school options to community members.
Upon request, Pascack Press received a copy of the slide show from business administrator Sacha Pouliot. Moreover, Pouliot said that board members discussed their views or “preferred option” during the old business section of the May 9 BOE meeting.
As of May 2, 2022 the middle school had 499 total students: 131 in grade 5; 109 in grade 6; 123 in grade 7); and 130 in grade 8.
Also, as of May 2, there were 309 students In Meadowbrook Elementary; and 285 in Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School, for a district total of 1,093 students.
Late last year, the majority of an ad hoc committee formed to study the problem recommended replacing the middle school.
On April 11, Lombardy said ad hoc committee members believed a new middle school was “the best decision” for future Hillsdale students in grades 5–8 and the community.
Lombardy said the ad hoc committee comprised approximately 25 individuals, including some Borough Council members, parents, police, fire, emergency management, high school students, seniors, parent-teacher and faculty groups, sports associations, district administrators and teachers.
He said the district “cast a wide net” to bring a variety of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives to a discussion of middle school options.
In addition to the facility’s age, the middle school’s classrooms are generally undersized, Lombardy said, comprising about 550 square feet versus a current classroom size of 700 to 800 square feet.
Lombardy previously told Pascack Press that extensive renovations or a total knock-down and reconstruction on the existing middle school would take 18–24 months, interrupting parts of two middle school years.
Since November 2021, the district has been conducting its due diligence studies on the future site for the new middle school on an open parcel on Magnolia Avenue, including a demographics study, title and deed searches, topographic study and environmental site assessment.
We reported in November 2021 that the district was undertaking studies to determine whether such a plan was feasible on the property opposite 120 Magnolia Ave., the middle school’s present location.
Municipal projects also on the horizon
In addition to the proposed school bond that may cost an average taxpayer $110 extra per month in taxes for bonding on an $82.5 million middle school, the Borough Council has moved forward on a plan to improve and install artificial turf at Centennial Field at a cost of $3.5 million.
The school bond is estimated to be a 20- or 25-year bond, said Lombardy.
Meanwhile, the Borough Council is considering bonding for $3.5 million for recreational field renovation and artificial turf at Centennial Field
A final council vote on the $3.5 million field project bonding is likely in June, with unofficial, estimated costs of $111 yearly for the average homeowner over a 10-year bond period, a little less than $10 per month.
A motion made May 10 to discuss a possible town-wide referendum on the $3.5 million project had only one council member’s support, with the council majority in favor of upgrading fields without a referendum.
The Borough Council is also planning to undertake further studies on a possible community/senior center later this year or next.
In 2021, the council raised taxes 5.3% to include $500,000 for a down payment on up to $10 million in bonds for a new community center and new artificial turf field.
In addition, possible costs to make the current DPW facility more flood-resistant — the facility took a beating from remnants of Hurricane Ida — have yet to be developed and publicly revealed but are seen as possibly generating a need for bonding.