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Pequannock board weighing $2.4M remodel vs. $2.9M modular board office; $200,000 funding gap noted
Summary
Board members reviewed cost and timing for a new board office: a $2.4 million remodel of the existing building or $2.9 million modular construction. Mister Gibbs said the district is effectively $200,000 short for the remodel option and outlined options including applying to the state to use capital reserve funds.
The Pequannock Township School District board discussed two options for a new board office during its July 20 meeting and heard that a funding shortfall will constrain choices.
Mister Gibbs, the district official presenting the facilities update, told the board that estimates show remodeling the existing building would cost about $2,400,000 while a modular construction option would be about $2,900,000. "We budgeted $2,750,000 for this project. We spent $550,000 on buying the property. So we're down to $2,200,000," he said, adding that the remodeling estimate leaves the district roughly $200,000 short.
Mister Gibbs outlined two options for covering the gap: locate funds in the general fund (which he said he did not favor) or apply to the state and county to use the district’s capital reserve after board approval and the next budget cycle. He warned that if the board chooses the modular option, the district would need to return to the planning board for resubmission and that the additional approvals could delay completion into mid‑2027.
Board members sought clarification about the schedule. Mister Gibbs set out the steps to finalize bids, including confirming the final layout (1–2 weeks), updating the DOE (one week), preparing construction documents (4–5 weeks), and a public‑bid period (3–4 weeks). He estimated final contractor selection might take six to eight months from that schedule.
No final decision was made; the board will consider the funding options and return to the issue as part of future meetings and budget planning.
