The Houston school board continues to weigh its options as the district considers a possible bond issue for improvements on campus. Among them are not pursuing one at all.
“A lot of times people think it has already been decided,” said Dr. Allen Moss, superintendent. “Really, we haven’t gotten to that point. It’s not a done deal.”
The board is looking into construction of a new gymnasium and track as well as renovated spaces for the band and choir departments. It’s among a long-range plan that Moss said the board hopes will address where the district’s facility needs in the next 10-15 years.
The board encountered its first obstacle during last Thursday’s monthly meeting when construction estimates from Paragon, its Springfield-based architect, were about $600,000 more than previously anticipated. The $6.8 million price tag was well above the $6.2 million projection from the November meeting and is more than the district’s expected bonding capacity of around $6 million, Moss said.
The board asked the Paragon architect in attendance for ways to cut costs. Among them are eliminating square footage, decreasing the height of the gym and building materials.
“We have to get some numbers in line for this to be a possibility,” Moss said.
PDF: Minutes from last week’s Houston school board meeting
One citizen strongly objects to the project. John Impey, a previous outspoken critic of district bond issues who unsuccessfully campaigned in 2016 against demolishing the Fine Arts Building and was fined in 2012 for violating state law with illegal flyers against Ozark Technical College placing a campus in Houston, addressed the board with concerns about investing in facilities instead of teacher salaries and textbooks. Impey addressed the board for five minutes at both the beginning and end of the meeting.
Moss has organized a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, to share information about school projects and the process of planning the potential bond issue. The forum will be held in the Melba Performing Arts Center.
The district has until Jan. 22 to place a bond issue on the April 2 ballot.
“The board hasn’t decided, ‘Hey we’re going to build a gym or a track and other improvements,’” Moss said. “You can’t judge things only by a community meeting, but we do want feedback because we’re running out of time to make a decision.”
Also during last week’s meeting, board members:
•Received a presentation from City of Houston economic developer Rob Harrington to develop technical training and education in Houston.
•Heard a positive report from Josh Green, the district’s first-ever school resource officer, related to his time on campus and interaction with students.
•Accepted the retirement of Beth Williamson (choir director) at the end of the current school year and Lisa Sherwood (high school science) at the conclusion of the second quarter. She was re-hired as a paraprofessional for the remainder of the school year.
•Hired Michael Tottingham as head high school track coach.
•Were led in the Pledge of Allegiance by middle school student of the month nominees Cody Stilley, Kristen Ely, Morgan McKinney and Ashlynn Burns.