logo
Google Play App Store
Log In subscribe and/or renew Eeditions
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
Main, News
By FRED T. ROSSI on
January 29, 2025
BOE Referendums Approved, Paving Way For New School

SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD – The second time was a charm on Tuesday as voters in Scotch Plains and Fanwood approved two referendum questions that will allow the board of education to purchase a school building in Fanwood, make safety upgrades to all school buildings and provide funding for the annual costs of operating the new school.

The questions approved this week will authorize bonds totaling $45.6 million, $10.5 million of which will be earmarked to purchase a 35,000-square-foot building which will house all the school district’s pre-K classes and free up nine classrooms in four of the five elementary schools. By moving pre-K into one building, the elementary schools will be able to use the newly-open classrooms for art, music and Spanish classes or special services like OT/PT and ESL. The school district says this will ease the space crunch in the short term and help maintain class sizes. The cost of minor renovations to the new school building will be funded by the district’s capital reserve.

Another $34.2 million of the bond will go towards upgrades to the HVAC, electrical and fire-alarm systems in the district’s eight school buildings. Some of these expenses will be offset by $11.4 million in state aid.

The other ballot question that was approved authorizes $1.1 million in annual operating costs for the new school, via the district’s annual budget, to fund such functions as administration, nurse, secretaries, custodial staff, security officer and building and grounds personnel.

Unofficial tallies on Wednesday morning showed the first question being approved by a 3,090 to 2,402 vote margin (56 percent to 44 percent) and the second question being backed by a 2,968 to 2,526 margin (54 percent to 46 percent).

Cheers and applause erupted at the board of education offices on Tuesday night when Board President Evan Murray announced the results. He thanked the board and its supporters for “all your hard work” and called the ballot approvals “a tremendous accomplishment.”

Superintendent Joan Mast, Ed.D., told Union County HAWK that she appreciated “the support of the community” after “we listened to the feedback” following the failed vote last September. “I’m glad we were able to earn their support,” she said. She called it “a very happy day for kids in Scotch Plains and Fanwood.”

The twin approvals came four months after voters rejected an $81-million bond to finance the purchase, refurbishment and expansion of the First Children School building on South Avenue. A second referendum question for a $34 million bond to finance upgrades to the HVAC, electrical and fire-alarm systems in the district’s eight school buildings was approved but it had been stipulated in advance that the first question had to be approved in order for the second question to go forward.

According to the district’s website, voter approval of these bonds means that the owner of a home assessed at Scotch Plains’ average of $126,191 will pay an estimated $290 per year and the owner of a home assessed at Fanwood’s average of $469,385 will pay an estimated $250 per year.

ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Most Read
Fanwood Woman Killed In House Fire
Main, News
Fanwood Woman Killed In House Fire
By KATIE MOEN 
Friday, July 25, 2025
FANWOOD -- A Fanwood woman tragically lost her life early Friday morning after a fire broke out her in her Kempshall Terrace home. A neighbor who atte...
this is a test
From a Table to a Title: The Spark That Ignited Westfield Girls Lacrosse
Sports
From a Table to a Title: The Spark That Ignited Westfield Girls Lacrosse
By Morgan Lang Hutter 
Thursday, July 17, 2025
How two moms and a determined community planted the seed of a program that three decades later, claimed its first state championshipNearly 30 years be...
this is a test
Lucinda Dowell
Obituaries
Lucinda Dowell
Thursday, July 24, 2025
Lucinda Dowell, Longtime Westfield Resident, Animal Lover and Professional Photographer Lucinda Dowell, 90, a long-time Westfield resident and profess...
this is a test
Cranford Blue Tops South Plainfield For Cal Ripken, Jr. 10U State Title
Sports
Cranford Blue Tops South Plainfield For Cal Ripken, Jr. 10U State Title
Thursday, July 17, 2025
The Cranford Blue baseball team ran the table to capture the Cal Ripken, Jr. 10U State Championship held at the Memorial Field Complex in Cranford on ...
this is a test
Latest Once-In-A-Century Storm Floods Area, Strands Motorists
Main, News
Latest Once-In-A-Century Storm Floods Area, Strands Motorists
By FRED T. ROSSI 
Thursday, July 17, 2025
SCOTCHPLAINS/FANWOOD— The flash flood warning alerts started lighting up smartphones and text messages at mid-day on Monday, something that has become...
this is a test
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader