Greenwich Township could handle all of Bloomsbury's students if the districts regionalized, a study says.
There is no guarantee anything will happen to the Bloomsbury School.
But if the district were to merge with neighboring Greenwich Township, all of Bloomsbury's students could be accommodated in Greenwich's two schools, a recently released study notes.
Any decision regarding facilities would be left up to a new, regionalized school board. But first, it would go to residents to choose if the merger happens at all.
Students arrive at Greenwich Elementary on the first day of school in 2014. (Dave Dabour | lehighvalleylive.com file photo) The two K-8 grade districts -- one in Warren County and the other adjacent in Hunterdon -- have been pursuing a potential merger since last year, commissioning a feasibility study in April to help guide their decision.
The 401-page study was discussed Monday at a joint board meeting in Greenwich and published in full on the district's website (you can also read it below). A second meeting is planned March 23 in Bloomsbury.
The study, conducted by the Comegno Law Group, examined the finances of both districts, as well as their facilities, educational offerings, demographics, transportation costs and other factors.
It concludes that consolidation is feasible.
"We do not see a long-term negative impact that regionalization will have on the students of either district, or on the communities as a whole," it says in its final summary. "In fact, certain significant improvements and efficiencies would result from regionalization. We recommend that the boards continue to explore regionalization, and discuss the same within their communities."
Greenwich and Bloomsbury previously broached a merger in 1997, though efforts were abandoned in favor of shared services.
The report notes that both school districts now share a superintendent and business administrator, and that duties for both could be streamlined in a regionalized district. Costs including Greenwich's debt (Bloomsbury has none) would be shared, but so would staff and resources.
The report did not offer specific tax impacts, since it would be up to the new board to determine how the rate is calculated.
But one idea that it returns to in various sections is that the Bloomsbury School, that district's lone K-8 facility, may not be needed in a combined district: "At the date of this feasibility study ... administration reports that Greenwich has the operational capacity for Bloomsbury students to attend the two Greenwich schools," it says at one point.
It also says that, should regionalization proceed, the new school board would be tasked with making operational decisions such as building use, which in turn could affect staffing and transportation costs.
Kindergarten registration in Warren County
At least one Bloomsbury school board member, Daniela Albright, has said she is against the merger. In a letter to The Hunterdon Democrat and posted on nj.com, she called regionalization "taxation without representation for Bloomsbury."
"We will be the Greenwich piggy bank," she wrote. "And, as an added bonus, if a regionalized board determines that the Bloomsbury school will close, we can be sure to see our property values decline even further than they already have."
Ultimately, it will be up to both communities to vote on the merger, either in a special election or in November's general election. Both Greenwich and Bloomsbury have to approve the merger for it to happen.
Officials have said the merger would not affect the districts' relationship with Phillipsburg High School, where they both send students after eighth grade.
THE SCHOOLS
This map provides a look at the school buildings in Greenwich and Bloomsbury, with statistics and information provided from the feasibility study.
Note: The operational costs in Greenwich are districtwide, not for the individual schools.
OTHER IMPACTS
- Administration: Greenwich and Bloomsbury share a superintendent and business administrator, but the report says contracts could be renegotiated as duplicative duties are resolved. Administration in each school would depend on how the board decides to use -- or sell -- its buildings.
- Staff: Per state law, when two districts merge the collective contract of the larger one -- Greenwich, in this case -- supersedes until a replacement is negotiated. However, a new collective bargaining unit will have to be established. Reductions may not be required, but the study suggests making a seniority list to guide the consolidated board on redundant or unnecessary positions.
- School board: A regional board would be created, filled with members of the current boards via appointment by the executive county superintendents. After that, elections will follow their regular schedule. The number of seats will be determined by overall population in each constituent municipality, established every 10 years by the U.S. Census.
THE FULL REPORT
The full 401-page feasibility study is available below. Most of the report is supplementary charts, graphs and tables in the appendix. The results are summed up in the first 54 pages.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.