Perrin-Whitt calls for bond election in November

After a failed bond election in May, Perrin-Whitt CISD school board members will ask voters to return to the polls in November to decide on a $28,220,000 school bond package for district renovations and new construction on campus.

Perrin-Whitt CISD called a special meeting Tuesday, Aug. 12 where school board trustees chose a different package than the one recommended by the district facilities committee in July.

The district’s facilities committee met over the summer to balance wants against needs to recommend a bond package to the board, saying it was the board’s job to call the election and the voters’ job to decide if it was a worthy investment for the school district.

Collective priorities included improving the restrooms and concession stand for athletics, elementary school renovations, a new cafeteria with a stage and storm shelter, resodding the football field, secondary school renovations and renovating or building a new Ag and Career and Technical Education building.

The $28,217,344 total investment included $8,500,000 for elementary school renovations, $10,368,000 for a new cafeteria with a stage and storm shelter, $1,231,200 for restrooms and concessions renovations, $342,144 to resod the football field, and $7,776,000 for a new Ag/CTE building.

The bond package selected by the board was not the package recommended by the facilities committee, with differences including renovating the elementary school instead of constructing a new building, and constructing a new Ag/CTE building instead of performing renovations. The Ag/CTE building was one of the oldest on campus while the elementary school was one of the newer buildings, the board said.

Board Vice President Mark Sims said the package the board chose would “make the most impact and maximize dollars, reach, scope and future capacity—both financial and otherwise” for the district.

Consultants with WRA Architects provided a plan to incorporate future projects like renovations and new additions 10 and 20 years down the road from the initial bond.

In 2036 the district could consider a bond for secondary elementary renovations, and in 2046 the board could consider a bond to construct a new elementary school building.

“We’re trying not to paint ourselves into a corner, and are really thinking about the full life and future growth of the district,” WRA representative Eric Forman said. “We’d have more room to work with on that elementary classroom addition because we’re not looking at a new Ag/CTE shop 20 years down the road. We would have more leeway in terms of classroom additions and academic space.”

The bond will have a tax impact of 31 cents with a total interest and sinking tax rate of 46 cents for PWCISD.

“That brings us up, kind of brushing the capacity but we still have some room to work with if something comes up in the next five to 10 years,” Forman said. “We’ll still have some capacity to work in there.” 

Voters will decide whether the bond passes or fails in the Nov. 4 election.