School board approves upgrade costs to music room, school windows

The Vernon Township Board of Education on September 15 accepted the bid proposals on two capital projects on the district’s Long-Range Facilities plan.

The board approved a $293,000 proposal from the Wallkill Group, Inc., for the Glen Meadow Music Room’s acoustic room upgrades.

The board also approved Spartan Construction General Contracting, Inc., of South Amboy, for the Glen Meadow Middle School and Vernon Township High School window project for $2,116,540.

The bid had a deduction because the cafeteria windows were removed from the bid.

The projects will be paid out of the district’s Capital Reserve Fund, which the school board put at $2.75 million at the end of the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The district’s architect, EI Associates, originally budgeted the music room upgrades at $184,413 and the windows projects at the two schools at about $2 million. However, the school board decided not to go forward with the tennis court reconstruction on September 8, leaving about $460,000 (EI’s estimate for the tennis court reconstruction) available.

That leaves some money available to pay for the increased costs.

The plan for the tennis courts is to seal and fill two of the six courts at Vernon Township High School. Board of Education President Kelly Mitchell said Athletic Director Bill Foley would rather fix the tennis courts after the winter.

She said the district expects to solicit bids on that project in 2023.