LAKEHURST – Voters approved a special ballot question to raise $3 million for the construction of a kitchen and the replacement of the roof at their elementary school.
The vote was 240 to 103 in the unofficial vote total.
With the question’s approval, the state will fund 72.9% of the project. If the public had voted no, the project would not get done and Lakehurst would not get funding.
This debt service aid would only be available if the district bonds for their portion of the project. The district will be borrowing money for the project with a 15-year repayment schedule.
Were the school district to have approached this project using their operating budget, they would not have been eligible to obtain the up to 72.9% of State aid to offset local property taxes.
The school district has been historically underfunded each year by the State according to school officials.
Meanwhile, two incumbent members of the Lakehurst School Board ran uncontested for three-year terms. Joel Merkin received 214 votes while Amy Lowe received 253 in the unofficial vote tally.
Results are unofficial until the County Board of Elections certifies them.
Mayor And Council
The borough saw a bit of a race this year after several years of uncontested races Republican incumbents prevailed over two write-in candidates at the polls.
While no Democrats ran this year, long-time GOP Mayor Harry Robbins won re-election for a four-year term receiving 233 votes in the unofficial vote count.
Republican Council members Patricia A. Hodges and Robert McCarthy also won re-election for three-year terms receiving 233 and 245 votes respectively.
The incumbents faced write-in challenges from Crystal Parker who ran for mayor and Brenda Duffy who ran for council. There were 70 write-in votes for mayor and 79 write-in votes for council.
“Although I did not win council. I am happy with the number of votes I had received as a write-in candidate, and ecstatic about the referendum passing. I am looking forward to the next election where I plan to have my name on the ballot,” Brenda Duffy said.
Duffy added, “I want to thank everyone who voted for me and we will try again. I’m looking forward to what the future has in store for the Borough of Lakehurst and its residents.”
