School Officials to Present $20M Repair Plans

Editor's note: This piece was written by John McCann, a resident of Cranford. It has not been edited. If you'd like to submit a letter to the editor, email whitney@patch.com. Read our coverage of the $20M repair referendum here.

This Tuesday, November 24, Dr. Gayle Carrick, the Cranford schools superintendent, and Mr. Robert Carfagno, the school district business administrator, will present the school building rehabilitation plans to the Township Committee at the Municipal Building.  The estimated $20,000,000 cost for these repairs is being requested of Cranford taxpayers through a special bond referendum, which is not part of the annual school budget.  It is scheduled to be voted on by Cranford residents on December 8.  If approved, the cost to the average resident will be approximately $90 per year for the next 20 years.

The repairs for which the special assessment is being requested include a partial replacement of the roof at Cranford High School, complete roof replacements for the remaining seven district schools; replacement of the boilers at Orange Avenue, Hillside Avenue and Lincoln Avenue schools; and, heating and ventilation upgrades at Brookside Place, Walnut Avenue and Bloomingdale Avenue schools.

An additional presentation is scheduled for the Cranford Rotary meeting, which will be held in the Cranford Community Center on Thursday, December 3.  Other public meetings will be scheduled through the district Parent Teacher Council.  The administration will also be working with TV 35 to get the word out and a PowerPoint presentation describing the repairs, costs and the referendum will be posted to the district website next week.

The estimated $20,000,000 cost was arrived at through meetings with the school engineer, architect and were approved by the state in an RFP submission.