Middle School was site for the first 11 PTO meetings to review 2023 Referendum

A presentation to explain and review the 2023 Referendum that is scheduled to be held for the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) at all 11 schools in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District was kicked off on Thursday, December 1.

The presentation was to explain that the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District will request funding for a district-wide facilities renovation project and the addition of full-day kindergarten via a referendum vote on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

The communities of Bridgewater Township and the Borough of Raritan will have to decide upon two questions.

The first of 11 presentations to the PTO was staged at the Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School on the evening of December 1.

Superintendent Bob Beers and the two principal officials from the firm that has been brought on to perform this major project, Solutions Architecture, Frank Messineo, who is the founder, and Alexis Goldman, who is the design manager, all teamed up to present the outline of the 2023 Referendum to the audience who gathered in the school library.

They reviewed through a slide presentation information and the plans for both questions.

 Question Number 1 will focus on a series of much-needed, essential updates to many of the school district’s aging buildings, many of which are over 60 years old.  Building upgrades will focus on structural improvements, such as cooling classrooms and improving the health, safety, and security of our buildings   The passage of referendum Question Number 1 will result in state aid amounting to 34 percent of approved projects and will not raise taxes as the district is rolling over payments from expiring debt. 

 Question Number 2 will fund an addition at the Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School that will create a traditional sixth- through eighth-grade school, the conventional New Jersey model. Shifting a grade will create ample space at each of our seven Bridgewater-Raritan Primary Schools to provide full-day kindergarten for our community. 

 The estimated tax impact for Question Number 2 will be approximately $111.00 per year for Bridgewater residents and $84.00 per year for residents of Raritan (based on the average assessed value for homes in each municipality). 

 An additional question will be posted in November 2023 for voters to approve the operating budget for the staffing of full-day kindergarten. The passage of both questions will be required to provide full-day kindergarten for  the school district.

Mr. Messineo reported that if the Referendum passes in March of 2023, then work will begin on some of the projects during the summer months. 

“We will pick some projects strategically to be  done over the summer,” Mr. Messineo said. “Overall, this entire project could take four to even five years to be completed.”

Superintendent Beers added:

“This work will transform our district not for just a short term but for decades to come."

Paula Luciani Wein, who is the Middle School PTO President, was impressed with the presentation.

"It was great to hear from the Superintendent at the Middle School PTO meeting regarding the Referendum" Ms. Luciani Wein said. "It was very informative and we are grateful to have the opportunity to ask questions in person. If both questions on the Referendum are approved  I believe the Referendum will do great things for our school district."

Superintendent Beers concluded the presentation when he told the PTO audience at the Middle School, “we need you here to help spread the word.”

Superintendent Beers and the Solutions Architecture officials will make their next presentation  on Tuesday, December 6, when they will speak to the PTO  at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.

A complete summary of the Referendum and a schedule of all the PTO meetings are on the school district’s website. Go to the main page and visit Referendum 2023 Information.