CCISD considering $8-12 million bond election

Voters in the Clarendon Consolidated Independent School District will most likely see a bond election this spring, but school officials have not yet determined how much money to ask for.

During a called meeting of the CCISD Board of Trustees last Tuesday, figures ranged from under $8 million to $12 million as discussion focused on needed facility improvements, security enhancements, potential new construction, expanded transportation capabilities, and other issues.

Greg Decker of Gallahger Construction presented the results of a facilities assessment performed last semester along with cost estimates for the district. Decker and other speakers repeatedly said the district has been doing a good job maintaining its buildings, which are mostly 60 or more years old.

Decker’s presentation highlighted several deficiencies related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through out the school’s facilities, issues with sidewalks, security issues, and roof leaks in some areas. Lighting and plumbing issues in the Bronco Gym were brought up, and the aging conditions of the agriculture building and the field house in Bronco Stadium.

Decker then moved into the estimated costs to address the facilities assessment as well as the costs for some things the district has considered, including $2.3 to 2.5 million for a new vocational ag building, $3.3 to 3.5 million for to replace the field house, $600,000 to address ADA issues and other facility deficiencies, $100,000 in accessible parking and striping, $500,000 for a new press box, and $500,000 for new visitor stands at Bronco Stadium, which would not include any sidewalks to those stands.

The district also wants to address security concerns, which were not discussed in detail at the meeting. Officials did mention the possibility of a wall along the south side of the breezeway connecting the high school and junior high buildings and some as yet undetermined work to address visitors coming into the main door of the high school so they have to check in a the office.
That amounts to about $8 million in improvements not including the security work.

School officials also mentioned the possibility of buying additional buses for the district, and there was discussion about having extra bond money approved that could be used for other purchases going in the near future.

Decker’s firm performed the facility assessment, estimated the costs for the districts, and will put together a marketing plan that will lobby voters for the passage of the bond.

John Blackburn of Live Oak Public Finance discussed the district’s bond capacity and the additional tax rate that would be needed to finance the bonds. Blackburn said that the with the school districts’ ad valorem tax rate being compressed by the State Legislature and the new $100,000 homestead tax exemptions, there will likely be a record number of school bond elections this May.

Clarendon CISD’s tax rate, according to Blackburn, has been compressed to about 83 cents per $100 valuation, which is down from $1.17 just a few years ago. That leaves less for the school to work with to address facilities but also means property owners are paying less tax. Combined with the new homestead exemption, officials believe the time is right to ask voters for a bond.

Blackburn presented options showing CCISD could finance a $9.6 million bond with 25 cents more tax, an $11.5 million bond for 30 cents, or a $13.5 million bond for 35 cents.

With the new homestead exemption, citizens with homes valued at $100,000 or less pay no school tax.

A 25-cent tax hike would increase taxes on a $150,000 by $125 per year. A 35-cent tax hike would raise taxes on that same home by $175 per year.

The CCISD Board of Trustees will meet again on Monday, February 12, to call for the bond election and will have to set an amount they want to ask the voters for at that time.

Also in last week’s meeting, the board approved a motion to selection Corgan Architects for the proposed bond projects and authorized Superintendent Jarod Bellar to select a Construction Manager Agent after running the required advertisement for the Request For Qualifications.