RUMSON – Rumson voters approved a $25.74 million referendum Nov. 5 for school upgrades in the pre-K through eighth-grade district.
The 20-year bond will bring upgrades to both the Deane Porter and Forrestdale Schools. As of Wednesday, Nov. 6, unofficial tallies posted by the Monmouth County Clerk’s office show that the referendum received 914 ‘yes’ votes and 550 ‘no’ votes.
Superintendent of Schools John E. Bormann, Ed.D., shared his excitement with the community after the results came in. “The approval of this bond referendum speaks to the community’s support of our district mission statement,” he said, “not only for today’s students, but for the students who will pass through our schools in the future.”
The average homeowner in Rumson with a home valuation of $1,392,000 may see a $22 tax dollar increase on their tax bills. Bormann said the projection “is a very conservative number” and that the price could come in under that.
Upgrades to be made include: an on-site bus loop; secure entrances to both schools; classroom door and hardware replacements; corridor renovations; HVAC upgrades; a new multipurpose room addition; locker room renovations at Forrestdale; media center renovations and Forrestdale science room upgrades; and secure classrooms at Deane Porter, among other needs.
The three main components to the bond referendum are safety and security, enrollment and programming needs and concerns, according to Bormann. Though safety and security measures are already in place, he said they need to be updated to bring everything up to standards.
He added that the HVAC systems are in need of replacement as well, and that they are “aging out and costly to the operating budget.” In some cases, the aging systems are “almost impossible” to maintain while trying to be fiscally responsible in updating them, he said.
Bormann added that enrollment has been increasing in both of the schools in the district, as there are currently over 1,000 students, and that programs like drama and STEM are increasing as well, which take up space. “With the combination of increasing programs and enrollment, we’re at a point now where we need to look forward into the future and ensure we have ample space in the district for both programs and enrollment,” said Bormann.
