HAMMONTON BLOG

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School Bond referendum passes by a wide margin!

Date: 09:48 PM Dec 9, 2008

Thank goodness the attacks by the Hammonton Gazette had no influence on this vote. Their obvious negative slant towards the school system and the children has backfired on them. More and more people are realizing that that is not a newspaper, it is a tabloid that promotes the agenda of one family in Hammonton.

Date: 10:55 PM Dec 9, 2008

Why was there only 13% turnout? Such a large expense with so few of the taxpayers voting. I am for a renovated and expanded school but maybe these items should be presented to the voters in November when the turnout is much higher.

The money saved by having the school election can be used for the school district.

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A lot of people would probably agree with you, however, State law has referendums being voted on only on 4 specific dates. This needs to change. There is legislation moving through both houses in the State to change the school board elections to November, but as I understand it, it does not effect the referendum dates.

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Hammonton OKs $13.7M. Sooy school overhaul

(Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008)

HAMMONTON - By a nearly 2-to-1 ratio, voters approved a $13.7 million overhaul of the 34-year-old Warren E. Sooy Elementary School.

"We are ecstatic," said Joe Giralo, the school board's vice president, minutes after the results came in. "The people of Hammonton recognized the needs of the building, and our students are the winners."

District taxpayers put themselves on the hook for $8.2 million; the measure's approval unlocked a
$5.5 million state grant to pay for the rest. Sixty-three percent, or 748 residents, voted in favor of the renovation, while 432 voters opposed it.

"We were optimistic that the referendum would pass, but we weren't really sure by how much, considering the economy. We knew there were residents that had concerns," business administrator Barbara Prettyman said.

The 2009-2010 budget can absorb the first round of payments without requiring a tax increase, Prettyman said. The district's 2008-2009 budget - including some one-time costs, Prettyman said - is $43.3 million, with a tax rate of $2.04 per $100 of assessed property value.

Crews will have to replace the roof, ceilings and lights, install new insulation and drywall, and resurface the parking lot and sidewalks. Also slated for replacement are the electrical systems, the heat, air conditioning and ventilation, the plumbing and water, the data wiring and the fire alarms.

"It's something that has been needed for a very long time," Prettyman said.

The work is to be done in the summers of 2009 and 2010, between school years. Competition for the contract will take place this spring, Prettyman said.

Voter turnout was about 13 percent, a steep drop from the 66 percent who voted in the Nov. 4 general election.

"I don't think we were expecting a large turnout," Prettyman said. "It's a very busy time of year."

E-mail Eric Scott Campbell:

ECampbell@pressofac.com

Date: 03:32 PM Dec 10, 2008

I was very surprised. I thought all the negativity in a certain newspaper would way people to vote NO just like it got people to blindly vote for who they endorse year after year without regard to who is the best to serve the community instead of who is the best to serve their family only.

Date: 09:25 AM Dec 13, 2008

The Hammonton First Agenda is clear based on the gazette:
-Hammonton School District should support Stockton coming to Town.
-Hammonton Council will bailout Kessler!!

Spend, Baby, Spend!!!

I hope Jimmy Bertino sheds his go-along get-along attitude and finds the moral courage to stand up against the non-sense. Otherewise, we will be looking for bailout for the Town of Hammonton.