Survey projects narrow majority for $1.4M operational referendum; board to consider resolution by Aug. 2

A consultant presenting the community survey told the Somerset School District board on July 6 that 561 people responded — a 13.2% response rate — and that, after weighting, 56.1% of likely voters would support a $1.4 million operational referendum if the vote were held today.

"You have 561 respondents, which is a 13.2% response rate," Darren Seavers, project manager with School Perceptions, said during his presentation. He emphasized the sample meets the firm's internal reliability thresholds and reported a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2%.

Why it matters: the $1.4 million option was the only scenario with a projected majority. Seavers told the board that $1.7 million and $2.0 million scenarios fell short in weighted projections. He said undecided respondents fell substantially after staff explained what each dollar level would buy and the tax impact per $100,000 of property value.

Board reaction and next steps: board members told the administration they expected the lower-dollar option to perform best and expressed concern about voter outreach to residents who do not have children in the district. During discussion administrators recommended a focused communications plan that includes targeted mailings to non-parent voters and a short explanatory video. The board was told that, if it chooses to pursue a referendum, it must pass a resolution at or before its Aug. 2 meeting in order to meet calendar requirements for a November vote.

What the survey found: Seavers summarized priorities and trade-offs. Survey respondents ranked technology, athletics and classroom materials among areas they'd accept reductions for, while life skills and career/technical education were among priorities the community favored for investment. Seavers also noted staff are overrepresented in raw submissions and explained that his team reweights results to reflect eligible voters.

What comes next: the board discussed asking for the $1.4 million questions already tested in the survey rather than altering dollar amounts, saying staff's legal counsel and bond counsel will be involved in drafting any ballot question. Administrators committed to producing a short summary video of the survey results to distribute publicly.

The board did not vote to put a referendum question on the ballot at the July 6 meeting; members said they expect additional discussion and a possible motion at the August meeting.