Turf wars: Kingsway, mayor argue referendum

WOOLWICH – Kingsway Regional School Board leaders are "appalled" by a Gloucester County mayor's opposition to a $12 million athletics-focused school district referendum.

East Greenwich Mayor Dale Archer announced last week he does not support the middle and high school district's proposal for new athletics fieldhouses, a new track, and a bus garage for Kingsway's expanding fleet.

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East Greenwich is among four towns — including Woolwich, Swedesboro and South Harrison — sending students to Kingsway middle and high schools. Voters in those towns will decide on the two-question referendum March 8.

In a letter to East Greenwich residents earlier this month, Archer urged his town to vote against the referendum, claiming it would work against his township committee's efforts to receive more state funding for the township's elementary schools and the Kingsway District.

He called the school district's proposal "misguided."

Kingsway's school board President James Mueller and Vice President Lauren Boerlin released comments Thursday challenging Archer's campaign.

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"We believe the mayor's use of a township press release to drum up public opposition to a school referendum and to put pressure on Kingsway to negotiate an unfavorable agreement is cause for concern," according to a  Feb. 10  letter from school board officials.

School board officials are not permitted to campaign for support or opposition of a referendum, the officials wrote.

"We believe the same standards apply to Mayor Archer," the letter continued.

"This is a referendum for the entire school community to have their say without undue influence by elected officials with potential hidden agendas."

Archer could not be reached for comment Friday.

School board officials claim East Greenwich and Kingsway have discussed purchasing land in East Greenwich on Wolfert Station Road for a bus garage.

Instead, the referendum seeks voter approval to expand its bus garage on the existing Kingsway property.

The mayor's comments to residents last week called the Wolfert Station Road site the "more viable and cost effective option," claiming the school district announced its referendum without mention to East Greenwich.

School board officials called Archer's campaign against the referendum a tactic to pressure the district into negotiating for the Wolfert Station site.

"Mayor Archer doesn't represent the community of East Greenwich in regards to the Kingsway Regional School District," school board officials wrote.

"East Greenwich has three elected representatives from the township who residents have elected to manage those responsibilities, not Mayor Dale Archer."

Carly Q. Romalino; (856) 486-2476; cromalino@gannettnj.com