With less than two months until election day, Lampasas ISD hosted its first of four scheduled town halls Monday evening at the Lampasas Middle School cafeteria.
The nearly hourlong meeting included a presentation from Superintendent Dr. Chane Rascoe on the $139,630,000 bond that is split across three propositions. Time also was allotted for questions from the audience.
“The kids, this is all focused on the kids,” Rascoe told town hall attendees as he started his presentation. “Every one of these items on the propositions are all about the kids themselves.”
The superintendent spent most of his talk on items included in the propositions. Proposition A, which totals $115,550,000, includes a new middle school campus, demolition of the current campus, safety/security improvements at LISD’s three elementary schools and approximately 35 new school buses.
Rascoe noted that throughout the bond process, the cost of the middle school has risen more than anticipated. One reason for the increase is drainage issues at the current LMS site. The new campus will be elevated to prevent potential flooding and will be situated where the current track is located.
Also, during the programming process for the new campus, the LISD Board of Trustees decided the new LMS needed to be larger in core areas such as the cafeteria to accommodate more students and have a true-to-size competition field.
Rascoe said he has received questions on why the district does not have any architectural plans for the new campus. He said WRA Architects, the district’s contracted architectural firm on the bond project, will begin the design phase after the bond passes. He noted that the approximately $104 million the district has earmarked for the campus is a reasonable figure that will avoid the chances of coming under budget on the project.
“I’ve talked to superintendents in this area, especially Marble Falls, and they didn’t listen to their construction people, went out for a bond and didn’t go out for as much as needed and had to go back to voters for approval after it was already done,” Rascoe said.
As for the 35 buses and security improvements, Rascoe said those items were included in Proposition A because they are high-priority items. A new state law requires school districts to ensure all buses are equipped with three-point seat belts. Although grant money could help purchase the seat belts, funding is not yet certain.
“There is no guarantee it’s going to be approved, and no guarantee with the amount of money we are going to receive. We can’t take the chance in that,” Rascoe said. “If the bond doesn’t pass, we are going to have to rely on that grant.”
Proposition B totaling $21,580,000 includes traffic solutions at Taylor Creek Elementary School and Lampasas High School; maintenance and transportation department improvements; a multipurpose facility; fine arts allowance; and open-air pavilion for marching band practice.
Rascoe admitted in his presentation the upgrades to the maintenance and transportation department may not affect schoolchildren directly but could indirectly. He provided clarity on what those improvements would entail.
“We are looking at repurposing the old band hall here at the middle school to hopefully be able to house the maintenance department there,” Rascoe said.
The superintendent added the transportation department would then have more space to operate at its current location off Avenue J/FM 580 East.
Rascoe credited LHS band director Eduardo Zambrano for spearheading efforts on the $1 million fine arts allowance and open-air pavilion. Details on how the fine arts allowance will be distributed among electives is still being discussed, the superintendent said.
During his town hall presentation, Rascoe also addressed the choir situation at Lampasas High School. He said the program could make a return if there is adequate interest expressed among students.
“We support the choir 100%,” Rascoe said. “That’s not something that would be hard to start at all. It is a matter of the kids being interested in doing it. If anybody would like to volunteer to help start that, by all means we can help start that next year.”
Listed at $2.5 million, Proposition C includes a turf field and track replacement at LHS, and deferred maintenance to Badger Field.
Rascoe praised the district’s Facilities Planning Committee, which played a large role in bond project ideas, for seeking to move Friday night football games to the high school campus. Nonetheless, LISD does not have the necessary funding to make the switch happen quite yet.
Possible improvements to Badger Field include new lighting, restroom upgrades and a recrown of the playing surface.
“We would love to be able to transfer everything out to the high school, but unfortunately there is not enough bond capacity to be able to do that,” Rascoe said. “So, we are going to have to use Badger Field.”
If all three propositions are approved by voters in May, the district’s tax rate will rise 8.51 cents. The current tax rate is $1.0152 per $100 in property valuation. For the average home in the school district valued at $324,925, the monthly tax impact would be an additional $13.11 per month.
LISD taxpayers over 65 years old (or those who are disabled) with an approved homestead exemption will not see their school district property taxes rise, unless additions/improvements are made at home.
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
After discussing the bond propositions and tax impact, the superintendent spent a little over 20 minutes answering questions from the several dozen attendees in the audience. One question posed was why the district opted to build the new middle school at the same site as the current campus.
“We had probably 10 board meetings over it, and talked about it and talked with the architect, and this was determined to be the best spot based on all the circumstances,” Rascoe said. “I was probably favoring the high school [site], but when you look at the traffic on [U.S. Highway] 281, it was a disaster. There was no way we could have gotten out. We talked about the business park, but it was a similar-type thing.”
Joey McQueen -- a former LHS principal, athletic director/football coach and member of Badgers for Better Schools, a political action committee in support of the three bond propositions asked if any of the current middle school campus would be repurposed.
Although ideas were discussed, Rascoe said the board decided it would not be feasible to use the facilities.
Edward Gold, a business owner and Lampasas City Council member, expressed concerns with the LMS academic building being located toward the back of the property, stating the district may be “landlocking itself in.” Gold also said the new campus’ location may provide some security concerns.
Rascoe noted the district still needs to go through the design phase, but he stressed that security is a priority.
Retired LISD teacher Janet Machen asked the superintendent what is planned for a traffic solution at LHS.
Rascoe said those plans will take time to configure and will require cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation, since the campus is located off U.S. Highway 281.
“It’s going to take time to draw that,” Rascoe said of plans for a traffic solution. “For Taylor Creek [Elementary], you are going to have a couple of different options.”
Nancy Yeary, a former LISD assistant superintendent and member of Badgers for Better Schools, asked what upgrades to the women’s restroom at Badger Field might look like.
Rascoe said those plans are still to be determined.
“We just designated the amount of money there to see how much we have left over to see what we can do,” he said. “You figure the [stadium] lights are going to be the priority, and it’s going to be $400,000 for that, but we should be able to upgrade that [women’s restroom] with the money we have left over. I don’t know if it is going to be a Taj Mahal.”
Former LISD school board member Bill Brister said the multi-purpose facility and open-air pavilion would be a welcome addition to LHS, considering the number of students it would serve.
“Between the multi-purpose facility and the band pavilion, we are talking about 80% of our students are involved in those activities,” he said.
After the question-and-answer period, attendees were able to take a tour of LMS alongside Principal Wes Graham.
Those who missed Monday’s meeting will have three more opportunities to learn about the proposed bond propositions.
The next town hall meeting is scheduled for March 30 at 5:30 p.m. in the LMS cafeteria.
FILE PHOTO
So, we are going to have to use Badger Field.’
Superintendent Dr. Chane Rascoe said of football games
