Residents and students press committee on $92M school referendum; student urges NJ Transit benches at bus stops

Residents and students used public comment at the Lacey Township Committee meeting on Jan. 23 to press the township and school district for more information ahead of a March 11 referendum totaling $92 million, and a high school senior urged the committee to pursue bus benches at local stops.

Regina DeSantis of Sunset Drive said she attended a planning board meeting where the school district’s architect presented a proposed turf field — an addition behind the existing football field — and she said the architect’s cost estimate was “under $10,000,000.” DeSantis told the committee she had asked the school business administrator why the district needed the turf field and said she was told teams occasionally rent turf elsewhere. “Keep renting it. It’s a whole lot cheaper than spending almost $10,000,000,” she said. DeSantis also said she was concerned the field’s lifespan was “8 to 12” years, shorter than the bond term, and cited maintenance requirements and potential health concerns tied to field materials.

Nut graf: With a three‑question, $92 million referendum scheduled for March, residents urged the township and school district to provide clearer cost breakdowns and maintenance plans before voters decide.

DeSantis pointed to the district’s comprehensive annual financial report and said long‑term maintenance spending on school buildings had been minimal in recent years, which she said made some referendum items read like a “wish list” rather than strictly urgent repairs. The committee confirmed that a public referendum information session will be taped and advertised; committee members and residents referenced a district‑hosted forum Jan. 28 (6:30 p.m., Lacey Township High School auditorium) and other local informational events.

Student proposal: Willow Dodd, a senior in the high‑school Leadership Academy, presented a capstone project calling for bus benches or shelters at stops that lack them, citing safety and usability concerns. Dodd said NJ Transit indicated it will install a bench free of charge if the municipality initiates and sponsors the request for an established stop; the municipality must maintain the bench afterwards. Veronica (staff) clarified that if a stop already is recognized by NJ Transit, the township bears the cost of shelters and must use NJ Transit‑approved shelter models; shelters can cost $10,000–$15,000 and cannot carry advertising to offset costs. She also noted that if the town installs a shelter model that differs from NJ Transit specifications, uniformity requirements can force replacement of other stops to match.

Ending: The committee and staff encouraged residents to attend the scheduled referendum information sessions and said staff would follow up on the student’s bench request and provide clarification on NJ Transit procedures.