School board calls for $41 million bond election

Posted 2/22/17

The Mineola School Board voted unanimously in a special meeting last Monday night to call for a $41 million bond election that begins with a new high school and sets in action improvements planned in …

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School board calls for $41 million bond election

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The Mineola School Board voted unanimously in a special meeting last Monday night to call for a $41 million bond election that begins with a new high school and sets in action improvements planned in five phases targeted to meet needs for the next 25 to 50 years.

All board members were present for the meeting that was attended by three previous superintendents, Dr. Bill Knight, Mary Lookadoo and Dr. John Fuller. Board Vice President John Abbott is also a former superintendent. A representative of an architectural firm as well as the district financial advisory firm and one Mineola City Council member also attended.

In last Monday’s meeting Board Member Jill Quiambao voiced the motion adopting an order calling for the bond election and all necessary action thereof. Board Member Holly Mischnick seconded the motion. When the vote was held, all seven board members’ hands were raised. The election will be May 6.

Superintendent Kim Tunnell spoke up, saying, “The important thing is, this is the first time in 30 years, the last bond election was held in 1986, which was 30 years ago. And I think this is one of those historic moments and I appreciate those of you who came to offer support.”

Quiambao said she looked up some facts about 1967, which is when the high school and elementary buildings were built. “The first handheld calculator was made in 1967 when our school was built. A gallon of gas was 33 cents. Stamps were five cents. Average monthly rent was $125. The first ATM was put into use in London. And these are schools that we are still using today. And so you think about all the advances everywhere else in the world and how the prices have changed.”

Tunnell said that the school district has spent 19 percent of its maintenance and operations budget on repairs in the past four years, leaving only 81 percent of the district budget for instruction.

The proposal for the building and bond election was a result of the Strategic Planning Committee of 82 parents, staff members, business, city and faith leaders who set the mission and plans for the future of the Mineola School District. During that time they toured all campuses. The recommendations included conducting a facilities audit and forming a Facilities Committee. The Facilities Committee of 32 parents, staff and community members met for two months in the fall and in the December 2016 school board meeting recommended the building plan and bond election.

Tunnell pointed out facilities audits had been done as far back as 2002 identifying needs for improvements in the district. Audits were also done in 2007 and 2014. The matters identified 15 years ago were in line with a 2014 Texas Association of School Boards audit.

The school district explained a bond is a like a home mortgage. With that loan/debt, the school tax rate would have something it hasn’t had in 10 years, and that is a debt service portion of the tax rate. The tax rate for MISD has been $1.17 since 2008, which is solely for maintenance and operations. With the borrowing of $41 million, it would require 50 more cents be added to the tax rate to repay the loan.

A glance at neighboring school districts shows that Van, Lindale and Quitman have higher school tax rates with debt service added to their overall rates. Lindale’s rate is $1.50, and Van’s is $1.56. Bullard and Spring Hill have $1.67. Gladewater’s tax rate is $1.57, Union Grove and Longview’s rates are $1.52 and $1.51. Winona has a $1.50 rate, Arp $1.46, Athens and Quitman $1.44 and Sulphur Springs $1.41.

It was also noted that the longer the district waits to make the move, the higher interest rates will be, as well as costs for construction.

The school district has calculated for an average home in the district, which is valued at $110,000, it would increase the taxes by $35 a month, assuming there was no other change in the taxable values of the district. Homestead exemptions reduce the amount on which a citizen pays property taxes. Additionally, it is noted that anyone over 65 can apply for and receive an Age 65 Freeze on their homestead. Their school taxes can’t be raised from that amount. Their only change would be if significant property improvements were made – such as an addition or swimming pool – and their value could be increased. Tunnell said the school district plans to include a calculator on their website that will calculate taxes for people who want to know how much theirs would increase.

The first phase of the project calls for a new high school – an enclosed two-story building with secure access. In addition to classrooms and academic learning space it would include a media center, cafeteria, band hall, competition gym and locker rooms and principal and support offices would be designed for expansion if needed in the future. Currently the high school and elementary schools share the cafeteria and lunches have to begin at 10 a.m. to accommodate all the students.

It would also include a Career and Technology Education Center to educate students in areas in which employers have expressed a need for more workers. That would include auto technology; health science; welding / construction and agriculture, food and natural resources.

It would also include an 800-seat Performing Arts Center designed for future expansion. Tunnell said there were people who expressed the view that a new high school could not be built unless it included an auditorium. Tunnell said the 800 seats size is about the going size of auditoriums being built and the facility could host future competitions, concerts and more.

The location of the high school would be behind the current primary and middle schools. The plans also call for the construction of a road through the school district property. Tunnell said that the conceptual plan calls for a two-story structure that would be visible from the loop even though it is behind the other schools.

At the 50-year-old high school, there are seven additional buildings with multiple classrooms that require students to travel outside along sidewalks and open areas. A press release states that “while the structure is still in good shape, the multiple buildings do not meet the needs of a comprehensive high school with expanding programs. In order to upgrade safety and efficiency features using the most conservative approach in financial planning, the committee made the recommendation to preserve and utilize many of the existing facilities with renovations after building a new high school.”

Tunnell said that high schools are the most expensive of schools to build and the committee evaluated several different options for new buildings, including utilizing the 121 acres that the school district owns off the loop near Farm-to-Market 1254. Many weren’t in favor of moving a school with younger students away from the main campus – moving the high school there would disconnect it from facilities that the students use. They concluded it was most economical to do the phase-in plan in the long-range plan with the construction of the high school.

The superintendent said the district would be happy to sell the property and would like to see it developed to provide more housing, especially targeted toward middle income families who may have children in the district.

The second phase of construction would involve the renovation of the existing high school for middle school students. A third phase calls for renovation of the primary and middle school complex on the loop to move elementary students to the current middle school building. Fourth would be removal of the elementary school and fifth would be expansion of the Performing Arts Center and CTE.

The question has been asked why someone who doesn’t have children or grandchildren in the district would want to pay the extra taxes. It was pointed out that someone had paid for the facilities when their children were attending school and now it is their turn to take responsibility.

School Board President Regan Brandon said, “Mineola ISD has been good stewards of the money entrusted by the taxpayers for many years and we are at a point where our outdated facilities need to be addressed in a more economical, value-added manner. We are charged to provide a safe, secure, and modern learning environment for our students and our staff and believe that this bond package will begin that process.”

After the meeting Tunnell said she wasn’t expecting any hitches in the calling of the vote. “I think the board’s been pretty clear all along that we need to plan for the future of our students and our district.” The superintendent said the district is ready to communicate with the public and “showcase the great things that our kids are doing.” She said the new facilities would address safety and security, “which is our top priority” while meeting “the programmatic needs that we have moving today’s students towards the future.”