Montville board approves architects and community survey to prepare $35.6M school facilities referendum

The Montville Township Board of Education voted unanimously to authorize architects to prepare schematics and to launch a community survey as the district prepares a $35.6 million facilities referendum targeted for Jan. 26, 2027.

Board members approved the motion after a lengthy facilities briefing that identified roughly $31.6 million in deferred repairs across elementary schools, Lazar Middle School and the high school — including failing unit ventilators and boilers, original windows, aging electrical switchgear, wiring and fire‑safety systems — plus approximately $4 million for a high‑school auditorium renovation and other program enhancements. District staff said the full package would be eligible for about 40% state debt‑service aid, and presented an estimated tax impact described in the meeting material as "a little more than $200" annually on the average assessed home in Montville.

Why it matters: District leaders said the work would extend the useful life of aging buildings and avoid higher emergency‑repair costs later; staff repeatedly stressed the timing tradeoffs, including the advantage of the state aid if the district submits a complete application to the New Jersey Department of Education by the end of July.

Details of the vote and next steps: The board authorized up to $40,000 in preliminary architect work to package project "buckets" and directed staff to send the community survey to solicit priorities. The survey was set to remain open into early July so results could be compiled for the board's July 21 meeting; staff said final scope could be adjusted based on survey results before any formal submission to Trenton. The motion to move forward with both the survey and architect authorization passed on a recorded roll call with board members voting in favor.

Budget and timing: District staff laid out options for a January 2027 referendum date to avoid overlap with the 2027 budget cycle; they said delaying would be possible but would push any vote to later in 2027 and could risk further deterioration of equipment that is already difficult or impossible to repair. The district emphasized that, because many items are eligible for state aid, not pursuing a referendum would forfeit substantial reimbursement, increasing the local share of future repairs.

What the board did not decide: The board did not lock in a final project list at the meeting. Members and staff described the architect's initial work as modular: projects are placed into individual "buckets" that can be swapped in or out depending on community priorities and final costs. The board also left open the option of delaying if community feedback or fiscal concerns warrant it.

The board chair said the survey results will be presented at the July 21 board meeting, and staff will advise whether the district can meet the July 31 submission window needed for a January referendum. No bond or construction contracts were approved at this meeting.