A potential bond issue for Mineola schools moved closer to fruition with a joint meeting of the MISD school board and the appointed facilities committee last week.

The groups reviewed a proposal that includes a new primary campus and other improvements for just under $30 million.

Superintendent Cody Mize said the committee has met several times, looked at facilities, reviewed property tax analysis and received estimates provided by Jackson Construction Co.

The committee realized the district has several needs, he noted, but faced the complex problem of needs versus wants while being respectful to tax payers.

Building the new primary for grades 4th and lower would set off a chain of events at other campuses, Mize explained.

The elementary would be converted to a career and technology center, and high school vocational buildings would be addressed.

The middle and primary schools would also need renovations to accommodate different grades, after the younger students move into the new school on NE Loop 564.

That would yield room for growth in the grades at those campuses, as well as for the younger grades in the new school. Expanding the high school with the CTE center would also give it room for additional students.

By keeping the proposed bond under $30 million, the anticipated impact on the property tax rate would be 24 cents.

Business manager William Bjork noted that the district’s tax rate of 96 cents (per $100 valuation) would rise to $1.20. It has been lowered from $1.17 just three years ago, and state officials have indicated they could take steps to help drop it further.

The district would not qualify for any state aid for construction, based on tax value per student.

One part of the plan that would convert the elementary gym into an auto and ag mechanics shop met some opposition.

Jason Redding noted that the gym is too nice to convert into a shop, and is utilized by several groups, such as Little Dribblers. Band Director Chris Brannan said the high school winter guard practices there, and other groups use it when weather prevents outdoor activities.

Redding said the money scheduled for converting that facility could be used to construct a new mechanics shop instead.

The groups also discussed the need for the district to have a long-range master plan.

Trustee Rodney Watkins said the district has done little with facilities in 36 years and should be looking at something at least every 20 years.

“We’ve got to put something out there that the voters will go for,” Trustee Jay McGough said.

Committee member Roy Shockey said there needs to be good community education about the plans.

McGough noted this plan impacts every student.

“We don’t want to go down the road that was taken before,” he said, referencing two previous bond issues that failed.

Committee member Demethrius Boyd said nothing is going to get cheaper, and with the right message, “I think you can get this by.”

He added that no plan is going to be perfect.

Shockey noted that senior citizens whose property taxes are frozen would not be impacted.

Mize added that citizens should see the need in the local economy for better career and technical training.

Once the bond construction is completed, if the district’s fund balance remains healthy, the board can choose additional projects to tackle, he added.

The board faces a Feb. 18 deadline if the election is going to be held in May.

The facilities committee includes Jim Phillips, Patricia Wright, Demethrius Boyd, Christie Marlow, Sharon Quevreaux, Glenn Thurman, Jason Redding, Sammy Young, Michael Mize and Roy Shockey.

The district will host a public forum concerning facilities on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m., including a live stream that will allow questions to be asked online.