By Brittany Anderson
A $115 million Hays CISD bond package will officially be on the May 7 ballot for voters to decide on.
During the HCISD school board meeting on Jan. 31, the trustees unanimously called for the bond, following months of work by the FBOC (Facilities and Bond Oversight Committee).
The package includes construction for elementary school #16, design fees for elementary school #17, an academic support center that would move administrative personnel to one location and enable a Live Oak Academy expansion, and the purchase of 55 school buses (20 for growth and 35 for replacement).
The FBOC began meeting in August 2021 to discuss the need for a 2022 bond election. After a series of meetings were held, the committee voted on Dec. 1 to propose the current package to the trustees, who unanimously approved to continue the bond development process during the Dec. 13 board meeting.
Additionally, public forums were held regarding the bond on Jan. 19 and 20 to allow for community feedback. The trustees further discussed the package during the agenda review meeting on Jan. 24.
In addition to the 2022 bond package, propositions on the 2021 bond (initially a total of $238 million) that passed during the May 2021 election were unanimously approved by the trustees during the board meeting to begin.
Status of previous bond improvements
The propositions passed include FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) at Dahlstrom MS, Barton MS, McCormick MS, Elm Grove ES and Negley ES, lighting and fixture upgrades at the Hays HS theater, schematic designs for fine arts facilities at Chapa MS and Simon MS, and the purchase of 14 school buses.
In the same bond election, voters denied the allocation of funds for expansions to the stadiums at Lehman HS and Johnson HS, denied improvements to Shelton Stadium parking and Lehman HS baseball and softball complexes, and denied $30 million to construct a new administration building at Central Office.
The 2022 election featuring the $115 million bond package will take place on Saturday, May 7.
