Possible Referendum ProjectsSchool District of the Chathams

2014/2015

Purpose of this Presentation

1. To outline projects identified over the past year by the Board of Education as POTENTIAL referendum projects.

2. To provide background regarding WHY these projects have been considered.

3. To more fully discuss and assess the projects.

Note

• All projects that follow have been the subject of discussion; no firm decision has yet been made about them, and they are all subject to modification or elimination.

Why Now?

• These projects have been discussed for many years.• There are some financial factors that make

consideration of a referendum attractive now:▫ Interest rates are very low.▫ SDOC enjoys a AAA credit-rating as a result of many

years of solid financial practices.▫ SDOC is in the process of refunding (akin to

refinancing) current debt; a savings of $3 million in payments will be realized and annual tax payments will be lowered.

▫ The bond from the 1995 referendum that expanded the Lafayette Avenue School will come to term at the end of this fiscal year.

Potential Project # 1: Renovate the

Chatham High School Auditorium

• Facility dates to 1976, built for Chatham Township High School.

• Facility has not been materially improved in nearly 40 years.

• Current seating capacity is +/- 700.

• Flooring, seating, wall coverings, stage, etc., are all in rough shape.

• Facility is not ADA-compliant; no seating available for persons with disabilities

Duct tape holding seats together

Broken seat replaced with folding chair

Torn acoustical wall covering

Stairs to stage; torn acoustical wall covering; duct tape holding down wiring

Set construction taking place on stage

Storage in and around hallways

CHS Auditorium—Two Options

• Option One: Renovate the facility so that is a modern and high-caliber space

▫ Cost = $2.9 million - $3.4 million

▫ Problem = loss of seating capacity due to ADA requirements

▫ Problem = not possible to enlarge the facility

▫ Problem = not possible to gain storage or set space

CHS Auditorium, Aerial View

CHS Auditorium—Two Options

• Option Two: Renovate the facility so that it can accommodate curricular program and school assemblies

▫ Cost = $900,ooo

Potential Project # 2: Construct a New

Auditorium in the Unused Field at the CMS

Circle

• Facility could serve as venue for all musical, theatrical and other productions in the district.

• Starting with a blank slate provides more options in terms of functions.

• A new facility allows space for set construction and storage.

• A new facility could be attractive to rent to outside groups.

Chatham Middle School

Current Auditorium

Potential Project # 2: Construct a New

Auditorium in the Unused Field at the CMS

Circle

• Cost = $12.5 million

Potential Project # 3: Convert the Current

Middle School Auditorium into Instructional and

Office Space

• Better support the CMS curricular program long term with:

▫ A design and technology/robotics lab

▫ Two computer labs

• Create office space so that the Board of Education offices can be housed in the center of the district

▫ Would eliminate the roughly $100,000 per year in rent and utilities currently expended

• Create community-oriented space

▫ A flexible space to be used by outside groups

Potential Project # 3: Convert the Current Middle

School Auditorium into Instructional and Office

Space

• Cost = $3.4 million

Potential Project # 4: Upgrade Facilities at Cougar

Field

• Bleachers are not ADA-compliant nor up to current standards and code.

• Parking has never been professionally designed.

• Fencing and pavement are aged.

• Concessions stand is not up to code and is aged.

Potential Project # 4: Upgrade Facilities at Cougar

Field

• Cost - $1.4 million

Potential Project # 5: Install New Turf Fields

behind the High School

• Fields were damaged in original high school expansion construction in 2001-2003.

• Fields are not properly graded.

• Fields are not as widely usable as those at Cougar or Haas because they are made of natural grass.

Potential Project # 5: Install New Turf

Fields behind the High School

• Cost = $4.5 million

Five Potential Projects

Borough Township

($661,262) ($762,196)

$12,489,000 $88.67 $99.91

$3,382,500 $24.02 $27.06

$910,000 $6.46 $7.28

$4,530,000 $32.16 $36.24

$1,429,000 $10.15 $11.43

$22,740,500 $161.46 $181.92

Auditorium Renovation at CHS

Cougar Field Renovations

Sub-total improvements

Turf Fields at CHS

Projects

Estimated Estimated Preliminary Tax Impact

Per Average Home

New Auditorium at CMS

Auditorium Conversion at CMS

Cost

**The above figures are preliminary estimates***The average tax impacts include the savings to be realized from the refunding of

the district’s current debt.

Five Potential Projects

• The five projects described above do not carry significant operating costs, other than energy and custodial/maintenance services.

• These costs would be largely offset by the savings from moving the Board Offices.

• Therefore, they represent capital investments to be paid off over 20 years.

Additional Potential Project under

Consideration: Expansion of Elementary Schools

• 2-classroom addition to WAS

• 2-classroom addition to SBS

• 4-classroom addition to MAS

Potential Project # 6: Expansion of

Elementary Schools

• Elementary schools are at maximum capacity now.

• There is currently insufficient space to optimally deliver certain programs.

• Expanding the facilities will enable us to consider additional programming in the future, such as:

▫ Full-day kindergarten

▫ Additional special education programs

Potential Project # 6: Expansion of

Elementary Schools• Cost = $5 million

Six Potential Projects

Borough Township

($661,262) ($762,196)

$12,489,000 $88.67 $99.91

$3,382,500 $24.02 $27.06

$910,000 $6.46 $7.28

$4,530,000 $32.16 $36.24

$1,429,000 $10.15 $11.43

$22,740,500 $161.46 $181.92

MAS Addition (4 classrooms) $2,435,000 $17.29 $19.48

SBS Addition (2 classrooms) $1,484,000 $10.54 $11.87

WAS Addition (2 classrooms) $1,116,000 $7.92 $8.93

$5,035,000 $35.75 $40.28

$27,775,500 $197.21 $222.20Grand Total

Turf Fields at CHS

Auditorium Conversion at CMS

Auditorium Renovation at CHS

Cougar Field Renovations

Sub-total improvements

Sub-total additions

Projects

EstimatedTax Impact

Per Average Home

Cost

New Auditorium at CMS

*Figures above represent preliminary estimates

Potential Next Steps

• Additional discussion by the Board of Education

• Refinement/modification/consideration of projects

• If the Board were to move forward:▫ Additional input from stakeholders▫ More detailed plans from architect▫ Plan for community outreach/referendum

campaign