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Lawrence Township board weighs facilities referendum as residents press for more bus service
Summary
Board members said a referendum project has been submitted to the state for review; no vote was taken. Residents urged the board to add neighborhood bus service and a shuttle to shorten unsafe walking routes to Lawrence Intermediate School; the district said it will run shuttles and follow up with families.
Lawrence Township’s Board of Education discussed next steps on a proposed facilities referendum and fielded public pleas for more student bus service at its Sept. 11 meeting, but took no vote on the referendum. Board officials said they have submitted the project to the New Jersey Department of Education for evaluation of state aid and will bring a resolution to the board in November once state estimates arrive.
Resident Ken Kiernan criticized the referendum’s scale during public comment, telling the board: "$98,500,000 referendum. Let that sink in." Kiernan said township population and school enrollment figures cited on the district’s referendum site did not align with recent demographic data and argued the proposal emphasized infrastructure over academics.
Melissa Riccobono, a Nassau 2 neighborhood parent, told the board her 9‑year‑old’s walk to Lawrence Intermediate School can take about 38 minutes and that she has collected 64 petition signatures asking for bus service in the neighborhood. "I have 64 signatures," Riccobono said. "I will keep working on it until I know when that bus is arriving because the need is huge." She requested clarity on when a bus would be provided and noted safety concerns for younger students walking alone.
Board Secretary Tom (last name Clark, board secretary) responded that the district will follow existing board policy to place a bus where addresses exceed walking-distance limits and described a planned shuttle to reduce walking at LIS: a 54‑passenger vehicle making two trips between Lawrence Intermediate School and an offsite drop area on Oakland Terrace. The district said it will also run a bus route into Stoniker and Camellia Court areas to serve households just beyond established limits, and that staff will prioritize outreach to families who had previously contacted the district.
Superintendent staff reiterated that the district has not decided to hold a referendum and that the November resolution will allow the board to accept, modify or decline the proposal after the Department of Education reports its aid estimate. The board’s earlier business included a formal adoption of the Aug. 28 minutes (motion carried; one abstention reported, one absence noted) and a vote to enter an executive session on personnel matters earlier in the evening.
Next steps: the district will wait for the Department of Education’s review of the referendum project, return to the board in November with sample referendum questions and a resolution, and follow up individually with public commenters about bus placement and shuttle logistics.
