BISD trustees approve study that could open way for bond vote. Check it out:
(Beaumont Enterprise, The (Texas) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep. 22--BEAUMONT -- Beaumont school trustees Thursday unanimously gave Superintendent Carrol Thomas authority to pursue a more detailed study of district facilities.
Thomas told trustees he had met with several groups, including the Chamber of Commerce and Realtors, in regard to the possibility of a bond issue. He said people recognize that the district's facilities need to be upgraded, and with the expected economic boom, the facilities need to be "up to scratch."
Trustees, all of whom were present, approved a contract for a Level 2 assessment by 3D/International, a Houston-based firm. It is the same company that did similar work on a 2002 bond issue that failed when more than 60 percent of voters struck down the $150 million proposal
Cost of a comprehensive facilities evaluation is not to exceed $400,000, trustees directed.
"I think it needs to be that the community carries this, rather than the school district," Thomas said after the meeting. "It needs to be the community looking at the needs and seeing those needs, and they get out there and work to get the support necessary to get it passed."
Although it's early in the process, Thomas said he believes the support for improvements is out there. The community will know more when the study is complete, possibly at the end of January, the firm indicated.
"That gives us plenty of time ... to do an election in May, or sometime like that -- if that's the will of this community," he said. "I want to really preface that: If that's not the will of the community, I don't think the board should pursue it."
During board discussion, some trustees raised questions about athletic facilities and a stadium, as well as about closures or consolidations of campuses.
Thomas said from the Level 1 study, it appeared to be more economical to replace some campuses rather than repair them. On average, he said it takes about $1 million a year to run a campus.
"That is one of the most controversial things you can do is when you start trying to close a school. But once the community is finding out you're building them a new school and consolidating, they support that," Thomas said.
"I think the things that people are asking for are important to us, to them," Thomas said. " I think we can try to get the things that all of us need to make our schools a first-class district."
Officials estimated about 2.7 million square feet of the 3.7 million square feet district-wide would be studied. The district already completed a demographic study to determine the population it serves now and can expect to serve in the future.
After the meeting, board Vice President Woodrow Reece said he would like to see a feasibility study of some kind of separate athletic facility or stadium. Examples he cited were facilities in Pearland and Galena Park.
[email protected]
(409) 880-0729
Copyright (c) 2006, The Beaumont Enterprise, Texas
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Technorati
Del.icio.us
Slashdot
Digg
