Millstone residents: Ask about referendum now

In September, Millstone voters told the Board of Education that it needed to return to the drawing board.

The $46.5 million proposal the board presented was too much for voters to handle. This was evident when 1,231 voters cast ballots against the referendum, while 888 residents approved the measure.

Since then, school officials have worked at regular meetings, and specially scheduled meetings, to come up with another proposal that this time, the district hopes, voters will approve. Sometimes Dr. William Setaro and his administrative staff stayed with board members throughout the witching hours of the night, pondering what the best plan would be — both for the voters and the students.

Now, it seems the board has settled a number of issues. For example, the originally proposed transportation facility, that would have housed the district’s buses, will not be included in the referendum. The originally proposed 1,200-seat auditorium will be set before voters in a separate question. Another separate question will ask voters to approve bathroom improvements at the elementary school.

The main question, the one with the $31 million price tag, includes the construction of the middle school as proposed in the original referendum, but with a few reductions in the scope of the project. Also included are site improvements for the drop-off and pick-up of students and parking at both the elementary school and existing middle school, and changes in a few classrooms at the existing middle school.

The board worked hard and fast to bring the local share of the referendum down from $39.9 million to approximately $31 million. This figure does not include the separate questions, which would add another $3.6 million to the total amount if approved. Time was of the essence, since officials see a growing population and decreasing classroom space in the near future. To prepare for that future, the district came together and worked to get a proposal in place so a March referendum could be secured.

Now, the task lies ahead to convince the residents that this is the best proposal. After the first referendum failed, many residents said they were uncertain about the trustworthiness of school and local officials. Residents also said they felt they weren’t informed enough about the previous referendum or the future of the Orleans property where the school will be built.

The Board of Education has heard what voters had to say and changes were made that reduces the overall tax impact of the referendum. Residents must understand that the district is bound by law not to "campaign" for the referendum.

The school officials can provide information, but there is a thin line that cannot be crossed when it comes to Board of Election regulations. School officials said they plan to do a number of things to get information to the voters, such as holding public meetings and sending details to residents through the mail.

But, if more information is needed, residents need to do their part to seek out the answers.

We are asking residents to call the district, call the township officials, attend the meetings and Q&A sessions, e-mail, write letters — do whatever is necessary so that come March, when the next referendum vote comes around, they can make an informed decision about the future of the community’s taxes — and the community’s children.