Find out what's happening in Barnegat-Manahawkinwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The district is asking for a total of $75.7 million, with $15.9 million of that being supplied by state aid.

The average Stafford home is assessed at $294,141, and that taxpayer would see an estimated increase of $22 per month. This increase to school debt tax would not appear on tax bills until 2026. The district offers a tool for homeowners to find their assessed value and estimate their updated tax bill here.

District officials have emphasized that these upgrades need to be done whether or not the referendum gets approved. The vote would allow the state aid to be used, decreasing the overall cost to taxpayers.

“The referendum is an example of planning ahead, rather than not planning and falling behind,” officials wrote on the bond referendum information website.

2. What Needs To Be Done

Click Here: AFC Ajax soccer tracksuit

Improvements are sought across the district. Much of the funding ($55 million) will go to renovating Oxycocus Elementary School to accommodate current and future preschoolers. Adding a two-story structure to replace the existing modular building will allow all preschoolers to learn in one centralized location.

Additionally, existing classrooms would be upgraded and a new, accessible playground would be constructed. Bathrooms would be made more Americans With Disabilities Act accessible and a roof replacement would reduce the risk of unpredictable repairs being needed.

For the rest of the funding, a lot of the infrastructure in the district is aging, officials said. For example, equipment in fire systems is so outdated that replacement parts are no longer being manufactured.

Other various classroom upgrades and HVAC updates are needed. You can see the full list of projects here.

3. Why It’s Needed

Officials say that the district’s schools are overcrowded and have aging facilities that need to be updated. At an information session, officials noted that in spite of increasing enrollment, the district has lost 47 percent of state aid since 2018. And a demographic study anticipates enrollment to continue to increase, emphasizing the need for more room.

District officials say they’re at risk of losing state funding for their tuition-free, all-day preschool if they don’t have enough space for enrollment needs.

HVAC systems at the district’s schools are outdated, too. Having working HVAC makes a better, more comfortable learning space for students and staff alike. It also could reduce the district’s energy bills, officials said.

4. When It Will Be Done

If the referendum is approved, work could begin as early as summer of 2025. Projects would be expected to be complete by 2027.

The projects would be done in a way that minimizes interruption to students. The proposed addition would be the first one completed and students would be moved into the addition as needed.

Payments would not begin until 2026, which is when residents would see an increase in their taxes.

“Much like a homeowner would finance improvements through a home equity loan, the district would pay for projects by borrowing (through the sale of bonds) and spread the costs over the 25-year life of the loan,” officials said. “This cost is shared by all property owners in Stafford Township.”

5. What If It’s Rejected?

The big question is: what happens if voters say no?

The work still needs to be done, officials say. So projects will be completed, but it’ll cost more.

The vote being rejected means that the district won’t be able to utilize state aid, and the full burden would fall onto the taxpayers. Officials would have to go back and figure out how to make it all work.

There is a backup plan, according to an information session, but details were not shared.

Emergency repairs would need to be done as things fail, officials said, and these “Band-aids” would end up being more expensive.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.