Mahwah board details school referendum projects and a clean audit ahead of public outreach
Summary
Board members outlined the scope of a special school district referendum covering renovations at Mahwah High School and other district facilities, announced a January–March information campaign, and said auditors reported a clean audit with one corrected payroll finding.
Mahwah Township Public School District board members outlined the scope of a planned special school district referendum (agenda item 18e) and described proposed renovations that would affect the high school, multiple elementary schools and district athletic facilities.
The board emphasized the proposal’s scale and the need for voter information. A speaker said the district will run a community information campaign from January through March and that the facilities and finance committees have been planning the work for several years. The speaker also stated that the district has completed about $20,000,000 in facility upgrades from the operating budget over the past six to eight years.
Under Question 1, the board described renovations to Mahwah High School that include roofing repairs, window and glazing replacement, HVAC upgrades (including boilers) and improved temperature controls. The board listed building-specific items such as a new life-skills room with two bathrooms (Building 5), masonry and chimney repairs, roofing and HVAC/backup boiler upgrades, and maintenance building improvements including roofing and fire alarm system upgrades.
Question 2 was described as covering athletic and performance spaces: auditorium upgrades and lobby expansion at an elementary school, replacement of turf and lighting for the main football field, artificial turf and lighting for soccer and softball fields, a new gym and locker rooms at the high school, a new gym and renovated stage/SGI space at George Washington School, and expanded media/music/SGI rooms and parking at Bessie/Betsy Ross. Ramapo Ridge Middle School was listed for artificial turf and field lighting.
Board members framed the referendum as a long-term, generational investment in student facilities and neighborhood use. One speaker said, "It's a generational investment, in our district which will, put us in good standing for many decades," and emphasized that upgraded spaces would be available for community recreation after school hours.
On district finances and oversight, the board reported that the most recent audit returned a clean opinion with one corrective action tied to payroll; the speaker said that payroll item has been corrected and described district financial processes as reliable. The board noted that clean referendum financing is important for bond market confidence should the referendum proceed to a bond sale.
Next steps: the board introduced agenda item 18e and said it will continue public outreach ahead of the election. The provided transcript does not record a final vote or tally on the referendum in the segments reviewed.
