What Happens After the Bond Referendum Passes?

When a bond referendum passes, it’s often met with a sense of celebration, hope and forward momentum for a community and its school district. But for school leaders, especially school business administrators, that moment also marks the beginning of an intensive operational and financial undertaking.  

It’s a transition from public advocacy to precise execution, where missteps can lead to delays, cost overruns or diminished public trust. At the October 2024 NJSBA Workshop, I had the opportunity to share Montclair Public Schools’ experience managing a multi-phase capital improvement plan after the successful passage of our bond referendum. I will outline the lessons we learned, the structures we relied upon, and the transparent practices that ensured we delivered on our promises to voters. 

The Historical Shift: From Type I to Type II Montclair’s path to passing a $188 million bond referendum began with a foundational change in governance.  

In November 2021, voters approved a transformation from a Type I to a Type II school district. This change, which transferred bonding authority from the Board of School Estimate to the voters, was the result of decades of frustration with deferred maintenance, unaddressed facility concerns and repeated capital project rejections.  

As a Type II district, Montclair gained the ability to bring bond questions directly to the electorate. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified calls for change, exposing critical HVAC deficiencies, overcrowding and deteriorating infrastructure. The community’s shift in governance reflected a broader desire for transparency and accountability in long-term capital planning, which set the stage for our 2022 bond referendum. 

Credit Rating and Bond Sale: Laying the Fiscal Groundwork After the successful passage of the referendum in November 2022, our focus shifted immediately to financing.  

Our first step was to secure a bond rating and prepare for issuance. S&P Global Ratings assigned Montclair Public Schools an AA-long-term credit rating with a stable outlook. This strong rating validated the district’s financial stewardship but also included cautions regarding long-term operational sustainability.  

We issued $70 million in bonds in February 2023 through a competitive sale on the Parity platform. Participation was strong. Ten firms submitted bids and all bidders were required to provide a $1.4 million good faith deposit. The winning interest rate was 3.52%, which came in significantly under the projected 4.2% rate used during the referendum campaign. This differential resulted in more than $5 million in taxpayer savings over the life of the bond, and it reduced the projected tax impact for the average homeowner. This was a pivotal win—not just in savings, but in reinforcing community trust. 

Procurement Strategy: A Legal and Strategic Balancing Act One of the earliest and most consequential decisions we faced was selecting a procurement strategy for our construction management services.  

Given the complexity of a multi-year, multi-building capital program, we sought approval from the New Jersey Department of Public Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) to use the competitive contracting method under N.J.S.A. 18A:18A-4.1(k), which allows contracts for specialized goods. Unlike traditional bidding, competitive contracting allowed us to evaluate firms based on technical merit, experience, capacity and approach—not just price. This flexibility proved essential, as we were able to award contracts to firms that demonstrated an understanding of the educational environment, sensitivity to working around school schedules and a proven track record with referendum-scale projects. We also worked with legal counsel to develop clear, detailed requests for proposals (RFPs) that aligned with the Public School Contracts Law and maintained full auditability. 

Labor Equity and Inclusion: PLA and Set-Aside Programs In line with recently deceased Montclair Superintendent Dr. Jonathon Ponds’ broader commitment to equity and local economic participation, the board approved a resolution to use Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) for all capital contracts exceeding $5 million. This ensured that major projects would be performed under negotiated agreements with labor unions, creating stability and reducing the likelihood of work stoppages or disputes.  

In addition, upon the recommendation of Dr. Ponds, the board approved a set-aside program for minority-owned, women-owned and small businesses, enabling these vendors to participate meaningfully in the public procurement process. This not only diversified our contractor pool but also generated broader community support for the referendum by creating economic opportunities for historically underrepresented businesses.  

While there is a common misconception that Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) and set-aside programs lead to higher labor costs and limit competition, Montclair’s experience has shown otherwise. To date, contracts awarded under these provisions have come in under budget and attracted multiple competitive bidders, demonstrating that equity-focused procurement can align with fiscal responsibility. 

Construction Coordination: From Groundbreaking to Substantial Completion Execution is where theory meets practice. The Montclair Board of Education awarded its first referendum construction contract in May 2023, and by May 2025, the board awarded 32 distinct construction projects across three operational phases. Of these, three are fully completed, 15 are substantially completed, and seven are scheduled to begin construction this summer.  Five are anticipated to reach substantial completion by Sept. 1. 

Each project is aligned with the district’s long-term capital plan, and prioritization was determined based on safety, code compliance, instructional impact and facility needs. Some of the largest and most transformative projects include: 

• Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex (three phases): This project included football turf replacement, ADA-compliant visitor bleachers, baseball field renovation and structural site improvements. The baseball field was officially dedicated as the Dr. Jonathan C. Ponds Memorial Field in Fall 2024, honoring the late superintendent’s leadership. This complex serves as the district’s primary high school athletic facility and community gathering space.  
• Exterior staircase replacement at the Montclair Pre-K and Edgemont schools: Critical structural replacements at both schools addressed deteriorating exterior staircases. These projects were accelerated due to safety risks identified in pre-referendum facilities assessments and required custom-engineered solutions to preserve accessibility during construction      
• Site drainage improvements at the Buzz Aldrin, Glenfield, Hillside and Northeast schools: These sites experienced years of recurring flooding. New stormwater infrastructure, including retention basins and natural turf reconstruction with irrigation systems, dramatically improved water management and restored play areas to safe, usable conditions.  
• Roof replacements at Bradford, Glenfield, Hillside, Northeast, Montclair Pre-K, schools and the Administration building: These large-scale roof replacements addressed leaking, outdated membranes and compromised insulation. The inclusion of the administration building underscores the district’s commitment to improving both instructional and operational facilities.  
• Playground and surface replacements at the Bullock, Bradford, Edgemont, Hillside, Nishuane and Northeast schools: These projects upgraded student play areas with new surfacing, accessible pathways and ADA-compliant features. Several locations received community input through PTA and school-based design forums, ensuring play spaces reflect developmental and safety needs.  
• Security camera upgrade at the Montclair Community Pre-K school: This project modernized surveillance systems with Internet-protocol-based cameras, expanded coverage zones and integrated emergency access protocols.  
• Curtain wall and storefront glazing at the Glenfield Middle School and the George Inness Annex: In response to energy inefficiencies and water intrusion, this project replaced outdated curtain walls with modern, insulated aluminum glazing. At the annex cafeteria, the new glazing improves lighting quality, aesthetics and thermal performance in a high-traffic student area.  
• Library and media center renovation at the Glenfield Middle School: This ongoing renovation will update the instructional space with new flooring, lighting and HVAC upgrades.  
• Auditorium and gymnasium renovations at the Hillside Elementary School: These projects modernize outdated performance and physical education spaces, including new lighting, finishes, stage and curtain systems, and acoustic improvements.  
• Interior stair replacement at the George Inness Annex Atrium and the Buzz Aldrin Middle School: This structural upgrade addresses aging interior stairwells, bringing them into compliance with current fire and accessibility codes.  

In May 2025, the board awarded two major contracts as part of its continuing bond implementation including the Montclair High School auditorium renovation and the interior renovations and HVAC upgrades at the Nishuane Elementary School. These projects represent a significant investment in instructional and community space modernization and will address long-standing facility needs related to comfort, accessibility and performance. Both projects are scheduled to begin construction this summer. 

To ensure smooth coordination across more than two dozen active sites, the district has employed a multi-tiered project management model. Each job site is monitored by a dedicated project manager with oversight by Conor O’Brien, project executive from Legacy Construction Management, Inc. of Wall, N.J. with reporting lines to the business office and C. William Ross, senior associate from Parette Somjen Architects, LLC in Somerville, N.J.  

Bi-weekly construction meetings bring together contractors, district staff, architects and facilities personnel to address emerging issues, ensure alignment and resolve conflicts. Monthly updates are shared with the Montclair Board of Education’s facilities and finance committees, and capital expenditures are audited against approved budgets using account-level financial controls. 

Perhaps the greatest challenge has been sequencing work to minimize disruption to instruction. School calendars, testing windows and summer programming have required tightly choreographed workbacks and contingency planning. The district’s facilities team has led daily walk-throughs during key phases to ensure that all life-safety systems, egress routes and temporary closures meet local code and state requirements. 

Each project also concludes with post-occupancy walk-throughs and feedback sessions, allowing the district to capture lessons learned and improve specifications for subsequent work. 

Fiscal Oversight and Budget Performance Montclair Public Schools entered the post-referendum phase with a strong emphasis on financial accountability and taxpayer stewardship. A key early milestone occurred on Jan. 27, 2023 when the district proactively contacted the New Jersey Department of Education Office of School Finance to report the referendum bond sale and requested the reopening of the debt service reporting window. This timely and strategic outreach enabled Montclair to secure its fiscal year 2024 debt service aid at an approximate rate of 32%, rather than deferring aid to fiscal year 2025.  

As a result, the district successfully lowered its fiscal year 2024 debt service tax levy by $1.04 million—resulting in an estimated $93 in savings for the average homeowner, based on a home assessed at $628,952. This action immediately reduced the local tax burden while preserving full funding for capital improvements. 

In tandem with this financial coordination, the district implemented detailed tracking mechanisms for expenditures, commitments and projected balances across all phases of the bond. All contracts are reviewed not only for legal compliance but also for cost effectiveness and long-term value. Providing financial updates to the school board’s finance committee and routine public reporting of capital expenditures have been instrumental in building public trust. By tracking financial metrics in real time and making proactive decisions, the district has preserved programmatic flexibility while delivering its construction goals. 

As of May 2025, the Montclair Board of Education awarded approximately $44.3 million in construction contracts compared to a projected construction budget of $47.5 million for the same phases. This reflects more than $3.2 million in savings, or roughly 6.8% under budget, achieved through disciplined project scoping, well-timed bid scheduling and competitive procurement processes. These results reinforce public confidence in the district’s fiscal management and demonstrate that capital investments can be executed responsibly, with transparency and cost efficiency as the board’s guiding principles. 

Communication and Transparency: No Surprises, Only Updates Throughout this process, we have learned that communication is not just a courtesy,  it’s a governance strategy.  

We instituted a multi-tiered communication model that includes daily internal updates among district leadership, bi-weekly contractor meetings, monthly board reports and public access to weekly construction newsletters. We also conducted school-level design reviews with staff and principals to ensure user input is reflected in the final product. Our approach has been simple: No surprises.  

When issues arose, such as supply chain delays or unexpected site conditions, we communicated early, explained options and adjusted timelines with transparency. 

Lessons Learned for School Business Officials The referendum execution process has taught us several lessons: 

• Start procurement planning early. Seek New Jersey Department of Public Affairs’ Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) approvals ahead of time and build clear RFPs with objective evaluation criteria. 
• Your bond rating matters. Engage your financial team, auditors and bond counsel early to present a strong credit profile. 
• Over communicate. Silence breeds uncertainty. Stakeholders are more tolerant of delays or challenges when they are informed. 
• Build trust through transparency. Post budgets, schedules and project updates online. Make your documents public. 
• Track real-time financial impacts. Be ready to demonstrate cost savings, especially when interest rates outperform assumptions. 
• Expect complexity. The construction phase is inherently chaotic. Build a team that can adapt and manage overlapping timelines. 
• Execution is political. Even with approval, you must manage the public ’s expectations. Deliver on time or explain clearly why you cannot. 

Looking Ahead: A Blueprint for Fiscal and Physical Stewardship Bond referendums are not simply financing tools; they are social contracts. Communities vote to raise taxes with the expectation that their school districts will deliver what they promised.  

Our work in Montclair continues, and we remain committed to stewardship, transparency and inclusive execution. We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, but we are equally aware of the importance of finishing strong and maintaining public confidence throughout the life of the bond. For fellow superintendents and school business administrators preparing for or managing post-referendum responsibilities, our experience offers a practical, tested blueprint for success. As we look ahead to the next generation of capital needs, we know that the credibility we build today is the foundation for tomorrow’s vote of confidence. 

Honoring Dr. Jonathan C. Ponds In Montclair, the school district honors Dr. Ponds, whose vision and steadfast leadership were instrumental in the development, passage and implementation of the district’s historic bond referendum. He championed equity, student safety and long-overdue facilities improvements with unwavering commitment. From community forums to strategic planning, Dr. Ponds was a constant presence, guiding the district through uncertainty and into a new era of progress. The naming of the Aubrey Lewis Sports Complex Baseball Field in his honor stands as a testament to his enduring legacy and the transformative impact of his work on Montclair’s students, staff and community. 

Christina Hunt MS, MBA, QPA, CEFM is the school business administrator and board secretary for Montclair Public Schools. She can be reached at chunt@montclair.k12.nj.us.