Preschool Promises or VoTech Vanishing Acts?

Bloomfield Taxpayers Will Still Pay Twice

The building of the former Newark Tech, Essex County School of Technology at 209 Franklin Street, Bloomfield NJ

Bloomfield residents should reject the additional tax burdens that would result from converting the long-abandoned VoTech building at 209 Franklin Street into a school. Mayor Mundell's 11/19/2024 ultimatum to sell the property to the school district is nothing more than a political ploy.

Within days of being sworn in as mayor, Mundell's plan has been to shift the town’s financial burden—likely caused by next year’s revenue shortfalls—onto the Bloomfield School District. If the district declines, she could spin it into a campaign narrative: “The district failed! The district refused to buy the school! The district is against pre-school!”

Most notably, the Essex County Bloomfield/Newark Vo-Tech property was purchased by the Township of Bloomfield from Essex County using federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in December 2023. During the June 2024 primaries, the purchase was repeatedly referenced, with claims that the property was acquired as a strategy to manage stormwater. On August 20, 2024, former mayor and current assemblyman Michael Venezia (LD34) addressed this issue in a Facebook post:

Curious about whether the school district had been approached regarding the purchase of the VoTech property, I reached out to the Board of Education for clarification. On August 26, 2024, I received a response from Sal Goncalves, Superintendent of Schools, stating: “The Board of Education engaged in a good-faith effort to initiate negotiations and conduct due diligence regarding a potential acquisition of the property between 2016 and 2017. However, at no time since 2017 has the municipality made a good-faith offer of the VoTech facility to the Board of Education that could be reasonably budgeted and negotiated.”

Second, Michael Venezia also claimed that the property would be used to create open space. Through an OPRA request to the township, we obtained a rendering (undated) that shows what their plans may look like.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act provides State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) with substantial flexibility to address local needs, including investments in water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, SLFRF funds can be used for necessary investments to support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

In December 2023, the Township of Bloomfield purchased the Essex County Bloomfield/Newark Vo-Tech property using federal ARP funds. During the June 2024 primaries, it was claimed that this acquisition aimed to manage stormwater. If the purchase was intended for stormwater infrastructure, it would align with the eligible uses of ARP funds as outlined by the Treasury.

The Finance Director, Auditor, Town Administrator, and Town Attorney approved this purchase. However, without access to the specific advisories provided to the Council, it remains unclear what guidance was given regarding the use of ARP funds for this acquisition. If the Township Administrator authorized the purchase under the justification of stormwater management and it complies with ARP guidelines, the use of federal funds could be considered legitimate. Accountability ultimately lies with the officials responsible for ensuring compliance with federal regulations.

For a definitive evaluation, a detailed review of the property's intended use and the advisories provided to the Council is essential to confirm adherence to ARP fund requirements. Both Mayor Mundell (JM) and Councilmember Sarah Cruz (SC) supported the purchase, referring to ARP money as “a free loan” because the town avoided bonding funds. Additionally, given Bloomfield’s significant flooding challenges, the justification presented was to address stormwater management needs. This claim aligns with the presentation by Remington and Vernick on the stormwater management plan delivered to the township on September 13, 2024.

Jenny Mundell now argues that the township should sell the building to the Board of Education (BOE) so it can be used to expand pre-K—a key promise from her campaign. As someone who has run for the BOE three times (unsuccessfully), I have always advocated for expanded pre-K on my platform. However, the question remains: at what cost to taxpayers? Why should we shoulder the additional expenses of rehabilitating an abandoned building—reportedly containing asbestos and buried old tanks—before it can even be made usable for a school? Wouldn’t the $10 million in ARP funds be better spent on something that truly benefits taxpayers? Instead, it feels as though we’ve been treated like an ATM for Essex County.

The bigger question is whether any change in the property’s use—such as transferring it to the BOE—would require the township to forfeit $10 million back to the federal government. The town must secure explicit federal approval before taking any action. Given current priorities, the federal government might not look favorably on funds being spent on an abandoned building instead of on infrastructure projects or offsetting revenue losses.

As we’ve established, the BOE was not involved in the original VoTech purchase. Both the township and the BOE represent Bloomfield taxpayers, and shifting the financial burden between them doesn’t change the reality that taxpayers are footing the bill.

The Council purchased the VoTech property without a clear plan—and still doesn’t have one. A concrete plan must be established before the next election or before the federal government audits the town’s use of ARP funds.

This purchase appears to have been part of a $10 million deal with Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr., made while Michael Venezia was both the mayor of Bloomfield and the Director of Human Resources for Essex County Schools of Technology. ARP funds were used without any written justification or detailed plan, and now those responsible seem to be trying to offload this problem onto the BOE. An investigation is needed to determine whether the original purchase was legal.

Until these legal and financial concerns are resolved, the BOE should refuse any discussions with the township regarding this property. Bloomfield deserves better than political games and taxpayer-funded missteps.

By Satenik Margaryan, Ph.D.