Referendum passes for school renovations in South Amboy

District will bond for the work, but no tax increase is planned

BY JACQUELINE DURETT Correspondent

During a referendum vote on Dec. 11, South Amboy voters approved a school district request to start elementary school renovations.

The vote, which passed 281 to 248, gives the green light to a range of improvements, which is estimated by officials to cost around $8.47 million.

Work includes roof repairs and new windows where needed; restroom, lunchroom and kitchen renovations; HVAC rooftop units and boiler replacements; air conditioning, fire alarm and electrical upgrades; partial brick repointing; fire escape repairs; new lighting fixtures; ceilings and flooring; and a new main entrance canopy.

The district plans to bond for the work, but no tax increase is planned, as the district is synchronizing the bonding with the retirement of some existing debt.

I would like to thank the citizens of South Amboy who voted to pass the Board of Educations referendum on the elementary school, said board President Cindy Zammit. This referendum will allow us to make many major repairs to the elementary school and bring other areas up to date. Our children need to have the best learning environment possible, and we will now be able to provide that.

Renovations are slated to begin next summer and would take up to two years to complete. Zammit said the district would have to go out to bid for contractors before a timeline could be finalized.

School officials have said in the past that up to 40 percent of the project would have been eligible for state funding, but the district did not pursue that because, according to district information, the state has not been approving any capital projects for which state facilities aid is requested.

Zammit said that she and the district have been mindful of the current economy, adding that she appreciates voters support at a time when things are so tough economically.

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Referendum passes for school renovations in South Amboy