Randolph Board Of Education Referendum Earns a “YES” Vote
RANDOLPH, NJ- The 24 million dollar Randolph Schools referendum that has been a hotly debated topic over social media channels for the past month, was voted on today, Tuesday Oct. 2.
The result appears to be a victory for the Yes side
The unofficial tally of votes were counted as 1,810 for YES and 1,503 for NO. Write in ballots were not yet counted, but are not expected to change the end result.
Debates raged on social media pages in the weeks leading up to the vote, as strong and vocal supporters on both sides of the fence did not hold back on their feelings. Many tried to encourage residents to vote for their side, others took a more neutral and inquisitive stance, while still others attempted to correct much of the miss-information and non-factual statements that were flying around.
Referendums to obtain funds for the improvement of the schools are a normal course of business. However, the rise of social media has completely changed how this type of information is both delivered and debated in an open and public forum like never before.
Over the past 22 years, there have been five other referendums for the schools ranging from 11 million up to 41 million. Four of those five passed. They are listed below along with the improvements they paid for:
December 10, 1996 – $13,440,000 – Passed
Additions and renovations to the Ironia Elementary School, Shongum Elementary School and Randolph High School
October 13, 1998 – $11,500,000 – Passed
Provide additions and renovations to Randolph Middle School, a sewer system lift station at the central campus, the construction of a new Administration building on the site of the existing administration building, including demolition of the existing building, and a district-wide technology upgrade.
December 9, 2003 – $41,773,376 – Defeated
Proposal 1: Construct addittions and renovations at Randolph High School, a new elementary school on school district owned land known as the Millbrook Barn Property and renovations at Randolph Middle School, Center Grove Elemenentary School, Fernbrook Elementary School, Shongum Elementary School and Ironia Elementary School
Proposal 2 if Proposal 1 approved: Construct central administration office attached to new elementary school.
December 14, 2004 – $24,714,050 – Passed
Randolph High School additions, renovations at Center Grove Elementary School, Fernbrook Elementary School, Ironia Elementary School, Shongum Elementary School and Randolph Middle School.
December 13, 2011 – $11,667,000 – Passed
Provide for improvements of the heating systems at Center Grove Elementary School, Window replacement and unit ventilator and air conditioning replacement at Center Grove Elementary School, Fernbrook Elementary School, Ironia Elementary School and Shongum Elementary School. Alterations and renovations of the auditorium and girls locker room, corridor locker replacement, new synthetic turf fields, a new maintenance building and field bleachers at Randolph High School. Corridor locker replacement and girls locker room alterations and renovations at Randolph Middle School.