Why Are Hazlet Schools Saying Thank You?

HAZLET, NJ - Why are Hazlet schools saying thank you? Voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum this week that approves a $43 million bond that will go towards the renovation of Hazlet Township public schools. The referendum passed Tuesday night by a huge majority, 1,139 votes to 360, according to the Asbury Park Press.

What do the renovations include? Every school in the Township, except for Raritan High School, will have new heating and air conditioning systems replaced, something that hasn't been upgraded since the 1950s for many schools. (Raritan High School got a new HVAC system recently.) Some school bathrooms will also be updated, older roofs will be improved and windows and interior security doors will be upgraded. Ceilings and lighting will be improved in some classrooms.

The work will start immediately, and should all be finished within three years. “Every year the board (of education) allocates $1 million to $2 million for capital improvements,” Hazlet superintendent Bernard Bragen told the APP. “Rather than piecemeal that over a 20-year period, we’ll do all the projects in a three-year window and use the money normally allocated for the annual capital improvement to pay the bond.”