Voters approve $11.7M Northern Valley Regional High School upgrades

Labs, athletic facilities included in planned work

BERGEN COUNTY -- Voters in the Northern Valley Regional High School district on Tuesday approved the school board's plan to issue bonds for $11.7 million in upgrades at the regional district's two high schools in Demarest and Old Tappan.

"We're pleased to report that the referendum passed!," a message on the school district's Twitter account said. "A huge thank you to the community for your outstanding support!"

The upgrades include science, technology, engineering and mathematics labs at both schools, renovations to auditoriums, a forensic lab at the Demarest campus, a physics lab at the Old Tappan school, along with upgrades to security systems and athletic facilities, officials said.

Voters in the district's seven towns voted 2,574 to 1,882 to support the plan, The Record reported.

School officials have said the decision would not lead to a tax increase.

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"The district will reduce the General Fund dollar for dollar so that the additional bond payments will be offset by equal General Fund deductions," according to a statement issued by the district. "Coupled with the state debt service aid of 38 percent, the actual cost to taxpayers will be 62 cents on the dollar all of which to be offset by the General Fund reductions."

Voters rejected a previous, more expensive upgrade in March 2015.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.