Dear Editor,
On behalf of the Haddonfield Board of Education, I want to thank the more than 3,500 residents who took the time to express their opinion, via the ballot box on Tuesday, March 8, about the board’s three proposals for repairs and maintenance at all five public schools. I especially want to thank the more than 2,300 who voted “yes” to approve those proposals.
The journey to passage of the referendum was long and arduous. The Long-Range Planning Committee began its work more than two years ago. The original scope of the project was reduced and reformatted a number of times, until we got to what the board believed to be the minimum, for both scope and cost. The input and assistance the board received along the way from concerned members of the community was very helpful, and the proposals were improved as a result of that constructive input.
So what happens next?
• We have already invited proposals from experienced construction management firms to oversee work carried out under contracts for the repairs and maintenance that are the subject of the bond referendum. The construction manager’s task will be to ensure that plans for the projects are appropriate and cost-effective, and that contractors carry out their work according to specifications. Having a construction manager for this work not only is prudent, but also addresses one of the concerns raised by some members of the community.
• Once the referendum result has been certified by the county, we will instruct our bond counsel to begin the process of raising funds to pay for the work.
• Our architects and engineers will be instructed to embark on the next stages of their work, in particular the prioritizing and scheduling of the various projects. This is a complex, time-consuming and extremely important phase, since it will set the parameters for the beginning and the end of construction, and everything in between.
• Superintendent Richard Perry will formally invite expressions of interest from members of the community to serve on a committee to provide advisory input with respect to the maintenance and repair of our school buildings and facilities. He will also put plans into effect to hire a part-time professional with expertise in school construction, to conduct weekly walk-throughs of district facilities and work with our maintenance staff to develop cost-effective solutions to problems as they arise.
• Along the way, we will keep the community informed of our progress. When appropriate, we will include “referendum implementation” as an agenda item for board of education meetings. We will publish updates in print and online, at HaddonfieldBondReferendum.com under “Progress.” And we will invite the community to join us, from time to time, to celebrate the completion of each major project.
Glenn Moramarco
President of the Haddonfield Board of Education
