- Ewing Township Board of Education
- REFERENDUM '18
Posted 08/31/2018: Talkin' Referendum '18
Talkin’ Referendum ‘18
On a sultry summer August evening at the Ewing Senior Community Center, Ewing Township Board President Karen McKeon and Superintendent Michael Nitti sat at a table and greeted visitors who were interested in the details of the Board’s upcoming facility referendum.
“We really want to talk to as many people as possible,” McKeon stated as she was joined by other Board members and school administrators at the Ewing Schools table during National Night Out. “Our goal is to get all of the information about this referendum to as much of the community as we can, so this will be a familiar scene, as district representatives plan on being at many events through Community Fest on September 29th.”
With the referendum vote taking place three days later, on Tuesday, October 2nd, Community Fest represents one final opportunity for the Board to get their motivating message of the referendum to the public, a message summarized by the theme: “One Community; One Vision; One Vote!”
“This mantra hopefully captures both the history and legacy of this referendum,” Nitti commented.
According to Nitti, the projects included in the referendum are a result of hundreds of conversations the Board and administration had with stakeholders. If approved, the referendum will create modern, safer, healthier schools for the next generation of students. “Our growth is stable, we don’t need new schools, but we do need to take care of the schools we have, and make sure they are great places for students to learn,” Nitti commented.
According to School Business Administrator Dennis Nettleton, there are also favorable financial factors that make this an excellent time for the referendum.
“The district has not had a school tax increase in two years,” Nettleton remarked. “Our current debt service is dropping off, interest rates are historically low, and many of the projects qualify for state funding. Furthermore, some of the projects will create future budgetary savings, so the timing is ideal.”
In addition to the district displays, a special Facebook page on the referendum has been created @EwingSchoolsReferedum 18. Additional information can be found on the district website and, of course, the district Twitter feed at @TheEwingSchools.
“We will certainly talk to anyone about Referendum ’18,” McKeon concluded. “So if you are interested, please let us know.”