The plan started with a $227 million wish list that has since been whittled and culled into the most pressing needs.
HAMILTON -- The schools' superintendent recently laid out a plan to spend about $54 million on school repairs, ranging from critical repairs to crumbling ceilings to safety improvements on windows that would help stop an intruder.
The plan is preliminary and was announced by Interim Superintendent Thomas Ficarra at the latest school board meeting as a proposal for an anticipated referendum in the near future.
The proposal, which was approved by non-binding resolution, would still need approval from the state Department of Education, Ficarra said at the meeting.
Ficarra said the township schools' past school year included two school auditorium closings, the shuttering of all school playgrounds for emergency repairs and several other critical building issues.
Now, the district must act for the safety of pupils and staff, he said.
The plan started with a $227 million wish list that has since been whittled and culled into the most pressing needs, Ficarra said.
"It's not a pie in the sky thing we're going after here, there are no dreams here," Ficarra said. "This is a no frills attempt to keep this district safe."
The superintendent and schools contracted architect Scott Downie laid out the plan in several parts.
Security, $9.4 million.
The plan calls for security camera systems, lockdown capabilities, a guest management system and window film at all school entrances.
The guest management system would be able to scan an identification system, like a driver's license, and check it against computers databases.
And window film at entry vestibules is a coating applied to existing windows that would bind and increase the integrity of windows to slow an intrusion - like someone smashing or shooting at a window.
Downie said window film is a "great step forward" and common at other schools in New Jersey that can be easily improved on.
Windows, $19.9 million
Eleven schools would have their windows replaced: Greenwood, Kisthardt, Klockner, Langtree, Robinson, Sayen and Sunnybrae elementaries, Grice and Reynolds middle schools and Hamilton West and Steinert high schools.
Ten schools would get window film improvements: Kuser, Lalor, Morgan, Mercerville, University Heights, Wilson, Yardville and Yardville Heights elementaries, Crockett middle school and Nottingham High School.
Life Safety, $9 million
Downie described these are critical repairs or work to school buildings or systems.
They include:
Work on Nottingham High School's steam piping, which runs in crawl spaces.
Masonry repairs at Hamiton West High School and Mercerville elementary.
Structural repairs at Klockner elementary.
Lowel-level egress work at Greenwood elementary.
Kitchen drainage work at Hamilton High School West and Yardville elementary.
Roofing, $6.4 million
Seven schools would have new roof work that cover 173,000 square feet in gross area.
The schools are: Kisthardt, Klockner, Lalor, Robinson, Yardville, Yardville Heights elementaries and Hamilton High School West.
Ceilings, $2.8 million.
Seven schools would receive ceiling work covering 190,000 square feet of area. They are: Lalor, Morgan, Mercerville, Sayen and Yardville elementaries and Hamilton West and Nottingham high schools.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), $5.2 million.
ADA improvements to seven one-story schools.
Related Costs
Ficarra said the plan called for $1 million in asbestos abatement for issues that may arise as the work is done, as well as soft costs and standard fluctuations.
All told, the plan will likely reach about $55 million once it actually becomes a referendum.
Using the $55 million figure, the average township homeowner, with a home assessed at the township average of $213,000, would see an annual increase of about $53 a year in taxes, Ficarra said.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.