Pascack Valley To Spend $1.8 Million On Overcrowding

The Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education awarded contracts totalling about $1.8 million Monday for construction aimed at easing overcrowding at the high school.

Tekton Development Corp had the lowest bids for partial demolition of the applied tech wing at the high school and an addition that will create three classrooms. They will also perform HVAC, lighting and ceiling upgrades to a locker room.

The district received two bids for the demolition and six bids for the construction.

Superintendent P. Erik Gundersen has said the work will help with overcrowding at the school.

According to the New Jersey Department of Education, the school had an average class size of 25.7 for freshmen (state average 20.3), 22.1 students in 10th grade (21) , 32.2 in 11th grade (20.4) and 26.3 in senior classes (20.6) during the 2010-11 school year.

"We have been trying to find some room in our building to make more space for students," Gundersen was previously quoted as saying.

Gundersen said Monday that he is still waiting for Hillsdale officials to share a breakdown of what he called "excessive permit fees."

The borough is for the work, which Gundersen said is placing an "unexpected financial burden on the district" because school officials did not budget for the expense. Hillsdale had not charged the district permit fees for previous construction.

Mayor Max Arnowitz said last week that the fees are mandated by the state and go to the borough, county and state for inspections and other required work. Arnowitz also noted the borough sees other expenses by hosting the school.

"All four towns should pay," Arnowitz said.

The construction on the school is scheduled to take place this summer.

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