Voters in Morristown and Morris Township backed a 20-year school construction program by nearly three to one, authorizing work across all 10 district schools and unlocking an expected $46.4 million in state aid.
MORRISTOWN, NJ – Voters in Morristown and Morris Township approved the Morris School District’s $158.4 million bond referendum by a wide margin on Tuesday, September 15, according to unofficial results posted by the district.
The initial tally was 3,358 votes in favor and 1,166 opposed, or about 74 percent in support. The result is not yet final. Morris County has scheduled the opening of timely postmarked mail-in ballots and provisional ballots for Wednesday, September 23, and the district says it will update the result after remaining ballots are verified and counted.
Approval authorizes the district to sell bonds for work across its 10 schools. The district expects $46.4 million in state debt-service aid, reducing the projected local share to about $112 million over the 20-year financing period.
The largest part of the program, 45 percent, is assigned to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and boiler work. The plan would add air conditioning throughout district facilities, replace aging boilers and classroom ventilators, and upgrade building-management systems.
Another 30.2 percent is designated for educational and activity spaces. The projects include an eight-classroom addition at Frelinghuysen Middle School, classroom additions at Sussex Avenue School, auditorium renovations at the middle and high schools, science-lab and media-center improvements, a larger Morristown High School cafeteria, and replacement of the high school’s aging swimming pool.
Roofing and windows account for 11.5 percent of the program. Bathrooms account for 6.9 percent, while fire alarms, emergency generators and other safety and electrical improvements make up the remaining 6.4 percent.
The district estimates the debt will add about $38 per month to the school-tax bill for a Morristown home assessed at the town average of $635,443. For a Morris Township home assessed at the township average of $560,500, the estimate is about $41 per month. Those figures are projections based on a 4 percent interest rate, a 20-year maturity schedule and current ratables; actual borrowing costs will be set when the bonds are sold.
Morris Plains residents did not vote in the referendum because the borough operates its own K-8 district, although Morris Plains sends high school students to Morristown High School.
The district says detailed specifications will now be prepared for competitive bidding. It may not spend more than voters authorized or redirect referendum money to projects outside the approved program. District officials have said construction is expected to begin in summer 2027 and continue over several summers, with early work likely to include bathrooms and air conditioning.
The next public milestone is certification of the election results after the remaining eligible ballots are processed. From there, residents should expect separate updates on design, bidding, bond sales, construction schedules and changes to school operations.