School Security Project Pulled Back, No Longer Up for Vote in March

The Wayne public school district will not go out for a bond referendum on a multi-faceted safety and security project.

The Board of Education approved a measure Thursday night rescinding the affirmative vote trustees cast at its meeting Jan. 16. Residents were going to vote March 11. 

“We remain confident that students are quite safe in all schools,” Superintendent Ray Gonzalez said in a blog entry posted Monday on the district website. “The proposed improvements represent needed upgrades to further strengthen our security, surveillance, and communication systems, as well as an opportunity to have the state fund 40 percent of the project.”

Gonzalez could not be immediately reached for further comment. Board of Education President Laura Stiziano did not return a message seeking comment.

If the referendum was approved, the district would have bonded the entire cost of the $4.8 million project. It would have received a state grant to cover 40 percent of the cost, or about $1.9 million. The district would have received the money as the project was completed.

The remaining $2.9 million would have been financed through the district’s annual budget. Officials previously said the project would not have impacted the 2014-15 budget.

"While the proposed upgrades are important, the decision was made to ensure voters would be casting ballots on spending for upgrades with full information on the upcoming budget's tax impact," Gonzalez said in the blog post.

Since the state has already given approval for the referendum to take place, Gonzalez said in the post that it “remains a possibility” the referendum could to out to voters this September or next January.

The project was slated to cost the average homeowner about $12 in taxes annually.

Safety and security upgrades were to have been done at every school. New security access terminals, video and, intercom systems were to be installed at eight of them; surveillance systems, doors, and fire alarm systems were also to be installed.

Security vestibules and additional motion sensors were to be installed in several buildings and main offices were to have been moved.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.