Introduction To better accommodate the Oxford Central School District s current and future students, it looks to do necessary safety and security upgrades, to replace the current HVAC system and to complete improvements around the school grounds. To accomplish this, the board is considering a public referendum on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 to approve the funding for construction. To provide information and to address residents concerns and questions, the district has developed this fact sheet. The Oxford Central School District welcomes your questions and/or comments via email, or in person. District Overview Web site: www.oxfordcentral.org Tel: 908-453-4101 Email: bmagnuson@oxfordcentral.org Oxford Central School District offers instruction in Pre-School, Pre-Kindergarten through 8 th grade. Many quality programs are offered at OCS, including an Autism program supported by a behavioral consultant. Students come to school on a 181-day schedule. The district is part of the Warren Hills Cluster Curriculum teams that develop and unify K-8 curriculum. The 2018-2019 school enrollment is 273 students in one building. The district has an active Municipal Alliance, LEAD program and SEPAC. The administration and staff partner with the PTA who continue to assist students with after school crafts, assemblies, field trips, and classroom technology. The district offers a parent portal for 5-8 grades, a website, and uses social media: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Oxford Central School is a NJ High Performing District; National School of Character, and New Jersey School of Character. This year OCS was selected as a National District of Distinction by District Administration magazine. Many of the district s staff have been recognized as NJ Exemplary Educators and the Chief School Administrator has been named Warren County Superintendent of the Year and the 2016 NJ PTA Principal of the Year. Oxford Central School s archery team has been the NJ State Champions for 12 consecutive years. Oxford Central is an Inter-District School Choice district and has full 24-hour video surveillance. The Theater and Arts program is thriving. Since 2006, the programs at OCS have been featured on Classroom Close-up (NJTV) four times, have been the subject of national magazine articles, and an episode of Fox and Friends. The district won the Mylan Industries national grant for promoting allergy and asthma awareness. For 15 years, the district has been involved in the Rutgers/ MARE program, a cross-curricular approach to study the marine environment. Recently, three students won the Partnership for a Drug-Free NJ Public Service Announcement contest and many students are state winners in the annual PTA Reflections program. 1
The mission of the Oxford Central District is: Students are inspired to believe and achieve, challenged in a caring and character building environment, and enabled to make positive contributions to their community. GENERAL INFORMATION Q1. What is a bond referendum? A bond referendum seeks public approval by vote for the financing of major school construction projects. The referendum will specify the amount of money to be raised. If approved, bonds are issued and are typically paid back over a period of 15 to 30 years. All of the facility plans are sent to the NJ State Department of Education for review. The state then determines the eligible costs for state aid. Based on this computation, the state offers to pay a percentage of the eligible costs. The state will only issue debt service aid if the taxpayers pass the referendum and agree to fund the remainder of the cost. Q2. When would the Oxford Central School District referendum take place? Voters will be asked to cast ballots on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Polls will be open from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Absentee ballots will be available for those residents choosing to vote in that manner. To register to vote or for information about absentee ballots visit http://www.njelections.org. Q3. Why is a referendum being considered at this time? There are several reasons why the board has chosen to move forward with a referendum at this time. The reasons are as follows: the need for the district to continue to provide a safe and quality educational environment for all students in a fiscally responsible manner; to secure maximum amount of state funding through debt service aid; to coincide with retiring debt; to fund the balance of the project with interest rates still near historic lows and; January 22, 2019 (the fourth Tuesday in January) is one of the legal dates approved by the State to hold a referendum. 2
Q4. What does the proposed referendum project include? renovating entry vestibule for security improvements, installing upgraded exterior lighting and security cameras, improving the exterior door and window security, replacing interior door hardware, improving the telecommunications system, HVAC upgrades replacing the gymnasium ramp railings, refinishing the gymnasium floor, replacing lockers, replacing the cafeteria tables, improving the exterior stairs and ramps masonry, replacing the front sidewalk, repairing the metal roof, masonry and door frame, improving the access driveway and drainage system, new exterior water supply, new site fencing, improving the side canopy accessibility, replacing treads on interior stair, and new point of sale system in the cafeteria. Q5. If approved on January 22, 2019, when will construction commence and when will it be completed? Assuming a successful January 22 vote, the architect will commence immediately to develop project documents for bidding. Initial improvements and upgrades including HVAC will likely commence in summer 2019. Other interior projects will be developed simultaneously and will be bid for summer (or potentially Fall second-shift) 2019 construction. Site related work will be completed in the summer of 2020 along with the balance of remaining projects. Q6. What are the anticipated operating costs for new HVAC equipment? Future operational costs will be determined by professional analysis. However, because we re building in energy efficiencies we expect there will likely be a decrease in our annual operating expenses. 3
REFERENDUM TAX IMPACT & COSTS Q7. What is this referendum going to cost me? If the bond proposal is approved, there will be a tax impact on the average assessed home ($165,780) of approximately $28 per year. The district is retiring debt for a referendum that funded the addition to the school 20 years ago. The borrowing assumptions are based on a $2,285,000 referendum, with 47% debt service aid, borrowing funds for a period of 15 years at a rate of 3.75%. Q8. What is debt service aid? Debt service aid is a partial payment of a bond from the state based on eligible costs. The state determines eligible costs by reviewing the proposed project submitted by the district. The state may fund a percentage of the project s eligible costs and would pay a portion of the loan each year including principal and interest. State aid will not be given unless the referendum is approved by voters. Q9. How does the district receive debt service aid? How does it factor into the school budget? The state gives us a percentage of the project cost every year, as outlined in the Final Eligible Costs (FEC) letter, rather than a lump sum upfront. If they commit to 47% of the project cost (principal and interest), they will provide this amount for each year, while the remaining amount will be collected from taxpayers. This percentage can change yearly based on the amortization schedule and rate changes. Q10. How much of the estimated cost is put aside for contingencies? A contingency is being set aside, which will cover unexpected construction costs. Contingencies are mandatory and the minimum percentage is set by the state: 5% for new construction and 5% for renovation projects. For this project, an additional 5% (on top of state minimums) is being set aside for renovations. Q11. Why does school construction cost considerably more than home construction? Complying with the New Jersey Prevailing Wage Act, public bidding and other public construction requirements creates substantially higher costs of school construction versus residential or other private construction projects. 4
TAX PROGRAMS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS Oxford Central School District Q12. Are there programs available for senior citizens to offset the tax increases of a proposed referendum? Yes, you can find information about possible tax reimbursements at the link below. Property Tax Reimbursement Eligibility Requirements http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/ptr/eligibility.shtml You may be eligible for a reimbursement if you met all the following requirements for each year from the base year through the application year. (The current year is 2017.) Age/Disability You (or your spouse/civil union partner) were: 65 or older; or Actually receiving federal Social Security disability benefit payments (not benefit payments received on behalf of someone else). Residency Home Ownership You lived in New Jersey continuously for at least the last 10 years, as either a homeowner or a renter. Homeowners. You owned and lived in your current home for at least the last 3 years. Property Taxes/ Site Fees Mobile Home Owners. You leased a site in a mobile home park where you placed a manufactured or mobile home that you owned for at least the last 3 years. Homeowners.You paid the full amount of the property taxes due on your home. Mobile Home Owners.You paid the full amount of mobile home park site fees due. Income Limit You met the income limits. You are not eligible for a reimbursement on: A vacation home or second home; or Property that you rent to someone else; or Property that consists of more than four units; or Property with four units or less that contains more than one commercial unit. You also are not eligible if you: 5
Are completely exempt from paying property taxes on your home; or Made P.I.L.O.T. (Payments-in-Lieu-of-Tax) payments to your municipality. Life Estate (Life Tenancy). You are considered the owner of the property if you have life estate rights or hold a lease for 99 years or more. You must include with your application a copy of an official document (e.g., deed, lease) establishing your right to occupy the property. Note: For application year 2017, the State Budget (FY2019) set the following qualifications for Senior Freeze payments: Only applicants whose 2017 income did not exceed $70,000 (the original limit was $87,268) were eligible as long as they met all the other requirements. Q13. How will the proposal be worded on the ballot? PROPOSAL RESOLVED, that The Board of Education of the Township of Oxford, in the County of Warren, New Jersey shall (A) undertake the following improvements (including related work and equipment) at the Oxford Central School located on Kent Street in the School District (the "Project"): (1) Life Safety and Security Improvements security vestibule renovations, exterior window and door security upgrades, upgrade of exterior lighting and cameras, telecommunications system upgrade, installation of fencing and a sliding gate, interior door hardware replacement and security coating for windows; (2) Building System Improvements HVAC system improvements, installation of a point of sale card system for the Cafeteria and exterior water supply improvement; (3) Building Improvements repair and replacement of exterior stairs and ramps, ADA improvements at side entrance, Gymnasium floor refurbishing, roof flashing repairs, masonry and door frame repairs, locker replacement and interior stair tread replacement; and (4) Site Improvements driveway, drainage, sidewalk and rear patio improvements; (B) expend therefore not exceeding $2,285,100; and (C) issue bonds or notes of the School District for the Project in the principal amount not exceeding $2,285,100, thus using up $403,227.68 of the $4,769,280.71 borrowing margin of the Township of Oxford previously available for other improvements. The Commissioner of Education (the Commissioner ) has determined that the final eligible costs of the Project are $2,145,300. The State of New Jersey, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7G-9, has approved debt service aid equal to 47.6865% of the annual debt service due with respect to the final eligible costs of the Project. The Project includes $139,800 (related to the fencing and sliding gate, the Cafeteria card system and the window security coating) for school facility construction elements in addition to the facilities efficiency standards developed by the Commissioner, or that are not otherwise eligible for State support pursuant to N.J.S.A.18A:7G-5(g). 6
Q14. Where can I get more information? Oxford Central School District Look for information sent through the mail. Attend an information session scheduled for: January 8, 10, 14, and 16, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. Visit the district s Web site at oxfordcentral.org Call the referendum hotline at : 908-453-4101 Request a tour of the facilities or a presentation to your group or organization If after attending a public meeting or reviewing the web site you have a question, please e-mail bmagnuson@oxfordcentral.org. In order to receive a response all inquiries must include your full name, address and e-mail address. Speak to members of the Board of Education about the plan details. 7