Perrin-Whitt voters to decide on school bond

Perrin-Whitt CISD voters will head to the polls to decide in November on a $28,220,000 school bond package that would support campus renovations and new builds to satisfy state safety regulations and address aging facilities—all while adding to the student experience at PWCISD.

The $28,217,344 total investment includes $8,500,000 for elementary school renovations, $10,368,000 for a new cafeteria and storm shelter, $1,231,200 to construct a restrooms and concessions building at the exterior athletic facilities, $342,144 to remediate soil and place new sod on the football field, and $7,776,000 to construct a multi-use building for career and technology education, Ag workshops and an audio/visual lab.

If approved, taxpayers can expect a projected tax rate impact of 31 cents. Based on data from the Jack County Appraisal District, taxpayers would see an impact of $17.45 per month for the average home in PWCISD valued at $207,560.

The tax impact projections include a $140,000 homestead exemption—one of the 17 constitutional amendments also up for vote in the November election. If Proposition 11 is approved, Texas homeowners would be eligible for an increased homestead exemption on school taxes, up from $40,000 under the current exemption.

Additionally, homeowners 65 years of age or older or disabled can apply for a freeze on their property taxes that would limit the amount owed to school districts and other taxing jurisdictions. While the school district may decrease taxes, under this tax ceiling the amount paid when qualifying for the exemption can never increase as long as the homeowner lives in the home and doesn’t make any additions or improvements.

Qualifying homeowners must apply for this additional exemption.

If Prop. 11 is approved, homeowners 65 years or older or disabled could qualify for a total $200,000 homestead exemption. The average home in PWCISD with a taxable value of $7,560 would see an annual school tax bill of $61.93.

Elementary renovations
Renovations at the elementary school make up the largest portion of the bond package and it was determined to be more cost effective than building new. By retaining the structural shell, the building could be made like-new while allowing for other projects under the bond’s scope.

Work would include American Disabilities Act and life safety code compliance upgrades, including incorporating or upgrading fire suppression and alert systems and upgrading and reconfiguring restrooms. 

Other renovations would address moisture mitigation and structural and roofing remediation.

Interior finishes including resilient flooring, floor and wall tile and ceiling treatments would also be upgraded and replaced.  Interior lighting would be upgraded with code compliant, high efficiency fixtures.

Close to 80% of existing interior, non-load bearing walls would be removed and replaced to create right-sized classroom spaces in accordance with Texas Education Agency guidelines and general code compliance.

“About one third of the elementary building—on the north side—is a newer addition,” PWCISD Superintendent Loren Sell said. “Those classrooms are the right size based off of what TEA says they have to be. Everything on the south side and the west side are too small in relation to current code.”

Along with reconfiguring classroom space, the security vestibule and administrative offices would be upgraded as well.

Interior renovations would bring in new furniture for classrooms and administrative offices at the elementary school, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems would also be upgraded and replaced as needed.

On the exterior of the building, windows would be upgraded for energy efficiency and paving would be improved for accessibility.

New cafeteria with stage and storm shelter
A new cafeteria space would be attached to the existing elementary wing and would include a new interior corridor to connect those spaces together. A new storm shelter would also be attached to the elementary building.

Current code says school districts must have a storm shelter large enough to accommodate all students, staff, faculty and administration for elementary and secondary schools on-site.

“Right now the newest building we’ve got is the gym,” Sell said. “The hallway and coaches’ offices are considered storm shelters… When we had the tornado two or three years ago that hit Jacksboro really hard, we put all the students in there and they did not fit.”

The existing cafeteria space would be renovated to create a secured vestibule at the secondary school’s entrance with new office space attached to the vestibule. Additional classroom space could also be added, given the aforementioned priorities were met first.

Exterior paving would address sidewalk access, as well as access to service yard facilities for cafeteria deliveries, trash and utilities.

New CTE/Ag shop and audio/visual lab
The proposed bond included the construction of a new CTE/Ag shop and audio/visual lab with new classrooms as well as interior workshop and office space and restrooms.

Current programs offered at PWCISD affected would include Agricultural Food and Natural Resources, Audio/Visual Technology and Communications and Law and Public Service.

Exterior additions would include a paved yard space for deliveries and workshop space staging.

Restrooms and concessions
A group restroom and concessions building was proposed for the exterior athletics facility under the bond, near the baseball/softball fields and track on the east side of the campus.

“Currently none of those facilities are out there,” Sell said. “The new building would be ADA compliant so people would be able to access those facilities.”

The project would require extending utilities such as power, water and sewer access to the site. Exterior paving improvements would address walking surfaces leading to and around the new structure.

Re-sodding football field
The last item covered under the bond was to re-sod the football field, which included soil remediation and sod installation, as well as validating and repairing existing irrigation systems as needed. 

Sell said there were common misconceptions regarding the football field and whether all projects under the May 2010 bond were completed.

“There are comments that the football field that’s out there was never finished—it’s just been sitting there not being used. That’s not true.” Sell said. “Funding from the May 2010 bond was never intended to be used on a football field.” 

Bond money can only be used for projects authorized by the proposition approved by voters. It is against the law to use the money for any other purpose, and school districts are audited to ensure the money is used for its intended purpose.

“We have to do what’s in the bond proposition,” Sell said. “We cannot pass a bond for $20 million and not do what we said we were going to do with it.”

Visit perrinwhittcisdbond.com to learn more about the proposed bond.

Voting
Early voting will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 20-29, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 30-31 at the Jack County Courthouse Room 104, located at 100 North Main Street in Jacksboro. 

An additional location will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23-24 at the PWCISD Administration Building, located at 216 North Benson Street in Perrin. 

Election day voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4 at the Jack County Courthouse Room 104, Bryson Senior Citizens Building at 201 South College Street in Bryson, Jack County Fair Barn at 1072 Highway 59 in Jacksboro and Perrin Church of Christ at 105 West Eberhart Street in Perrin.