Princeton Board of Education to vote on proposed $13 million bond referendum Tuesday night

The board of education for the Princeton Public Schools is slated to vote on a proposed $13 million bond referendum at a public meeting that will be held via Zoom at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday night, Aug. 22.

If the board approves the bond referendum, voters will be asked to weigh in on the spending plan in the Nov. 7 general election.

Proposed improvements at the district’s six schools are in the areas of security, sustainability, maintenance, and technology.

Security improvements would be made based on recommendations by the Princeton Police. Technology upgrades would include faster networks.

Playgrounds at Princeton Middle School and the four elementary schools would be upgraded, and improvements would also be made at the middle school’s pool. Drainage would also be improved at the playgrounds at Community Park and Littlebrook elementary schools.

Princeton High School would see some kitchen, cafeteria, and Ecolab updates, as well as athletic field upgrades and new lockers.

Fences would be replaced at all four elementary schools.

The architect for the project is Fraytak Veisz Hopkins Duthie, which is the same firm used by the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. The firm is based in Ewing and also has offices in Mont Clare, Pa.

Text of the proposed bond question

The Board of Education of Princeton in the County of Mercer, New Jersey is authorized: (a) to provide for renovations, alterations and improvements at Princeton High School, Princeton Middle School, Community Park School, Johnson Park School, Little Brook School and Riverside School, including acquisition and installation of equipment and furnishings, site work and related work and costs; (b) to appropriate $12,998,050 for such purposes and (c) to issue bonds of the school district for such purposes in the principal amount of $12,998,050. The final eligible costs of the projects approved by the Commissioner of Education are $11,958,050 (with $6,444,684 allocated to Princeton High School, $2,001,762 allocated to Princeton Middle School, $851,556 allocated to Community Park School, $956,936 allocated to Johnson Park School, $851,556 allocated to Littlebrook School and $851,556 allocated to Riverside School).  The proposed improvements include $1,000,000 allocated to Princeton High School and $40,000 allocated to Princeton Middle School for elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner of Education or not otherwise eligible for State support pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7G-5(g).  The State debt service aid percentage will equal 40% of the annual debt service due with respect to the final eligible costs of the projects. The Board of Education is authorized to transfer funds among the projects approved at this election. Do you approve this bond proposal?