Bond: Next steps

FROM PAGE 1 the students and families who will be contending with the conditions at George White for another three to four years.”

He added, “That is the timeline for rethinking options, developing plans, getting state approval, scheduling another referendum, and hopefully finishing whatever work emerges as Hillsdaleʼs next best thing.”

Lombardy said the districtʼs “immediate next steps involve listening to residents about what they want in a middle school, and what they are willing to pay for. As I said numerous times over the past six months, George White is an example of the can being kicked down the road. Voters did that again on Tuesday.”

He said, “We can look at the cheaper options that patched up the building and added the barebones space GW needs to accommodate its population. We can look at the even cheaper option that patched up the building without improving the educational environment.”

He said, “The question of when and how to kick that can will fall to the Board of Education. However, what we have known for years is that the kinds of sweeping changes that building needs, not to mention additional classrooms, cannot be paid for from the annual operating budget. Another bond referendum is likely in Hillsdaleʼs future.”

Kohan said the unofficial vote tallies included mail-in ballots received by March 14. She said official results would be released on March 27.

At 9:48 p.m. Tuesday night, Lombardy emailed Pascack Press with a general statement issued to Hillsdale families regarding referendum results and posted online.

“The Board of Education thanks the Hillsdale community for casting their votes. We will review the end results of this referendum, listen to feedback from the community, and then discuss how to determine the best path to meet Hillsdaleʼs present and future needs,” he said.

Nearly 30 percent of local voters turned out for the referendum vote, almost double the turnout for most school board elections and referendums that average closer to 15 percent. The large turnout occurred despite a Norʼeaster that delivered windwhipped snow and rain throughout the day

Recent editions of Pascack Press have featured letters to the editor from a handful of residents urging the referendumʼs defeat, including former mayor Doug Frank. Some residents have