District driving to pass school bond

SUSSEX-WANTAGE-It's literally now or never for the Sussex-Wantage School District to take advantage of a state grant program to help pay for repairs and expansions to district schools that officials say are vital to the future of the system. At stake is nearly $7 million that represents 34 percent of the $20 million the district wants to spend to repair leaky roofs, replace inefficient windows and boilers, and expand Sussex Middle School to accomodate burgeoning enrollment. Voters in both districts will decide on March 8 whether they want to pay for the $13 million in bonds needed to pay the district's share of the cost. To get the message out, school officials are going straight to the electorate by soliciting invitations to private homes to present the case for the bond issue to small groups of friends and neighbors. "We're not selling the referendum," said Superintendent of Schools George R. Papp. "We're not telling people to vote ‘yes.' We're saying, ‘Look folks, these are the facts. We have a vision for the community, for the schools, for your kids. Here it is. "If you say you can't afford it, fine. At least you know why you're saying no," he went on. The middle school has an enrollment of 600 in a space designed for 425. Papp says the district's five-year projections do not see that figure dropping. To accomodate the students, the district wants to add 17,550 square feet of new space. The biggest chunk of that would be a new gymnasium that can be divided into two halves; the current gym is too small for a divider. The old gym would become the new media center. The old media center would be divided into two new classrooms. New construction would provide four more new classrooms and expand the present cafeteria and auditorium, both of which were designed for 425 students. Other major projects include replacing the roofs on the Wantage and C.E. Lawrence elementary schools. Both roofs leak, Papp said, and the district has spent more than $40,000 recently on stop-gap repairs. Replacing windows and boilers would result in classrooms that are warmer in the winter and cooler in the fall and spring, making it easier for students to work. The district would also save money through greater energy efficiency, Papp said. The electrical systems in both the elementary schools need to be upgraded, the superintendent went on. Bathrooms in the Lawrence school need to be upgraded to meet federal specifications under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Planning for the proposed improvements began five years ago, Papp said. One of the proposals was to condemn both of the elementary schools and build one new $60-million school to replace them. Rather than choose an option and then take it to the voters, the board of education decided to first ask for public input before deciding in which direction to go. Last year, the district hosted three open meetings, the result of which was the $20-million proposal now on the table. Papp speaks passionately about the necessity of acting now. "It's vital from several different aspects," Papp said. "One is we have the opportunity to have over a third of the costs covered by a state grant. We are led to believe the funds for this grant money are quickly running out and probably would not be available after this calendar year. "It's also vital in that we're talking about major renovations that will not only take care of the problems we have, but will also return money to the taxpayers. Papp said he and other officials have been giving presentations in district homes "four or five nights a week." He said the decision to go into the community was not based on any model used elsewhere. "We just decided it was really a fit for our community. "We think if we are able to share factual information with our public, we will have a successful referendum. "We're not here to sell," he repeated. "We're not here to kill people with this. We just want people to have the information to make an informed opinion. "We're willing to let the chips fall where they may." More information is available on-line at www.swregional.org or by phone at 973-875-3175.