The Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees on Monday approved a $130 million bond election. The bond issue would be on the November 6, 2018 ballot.
If passed, the bond would provide $53 million to consolidate three North Lubbock elementary schools into one. The new school would hold up to 700 students.
The three elementary schools to be consolidated, if approved, are Guadalupe, Jackson and Wright.
It would provide $27.5 million for HVAC repair and replacement. It would also provide $40 million for security measures including intercoms, buzz-in systems, remote access public address, cameras, lighting and fencing.
“Every campus will be touched to make every campus safe and secure,” said Mark Griffin, co-chair of Securing Our Future committee. “Our parents, our teachers, our students deserve to feel safe.”
It would provide $10 million for replacement of portable buildings, and $27 million for renovations and additions.
The renovations include the auditorium at Monterey High School. The Talkington School for Young Women Leaders would get additional classroom space and a new auditorium. The Agri-STEM complex would also get an update.
“We really need to update our facilities,” said Griffin. “Nothing has been updated since the 1960s, and it’s really time for a change.”
LISD has previously said, if approved, the bond issue would not raise property taxes. Monday was the deadline for LISD to approve a ballot issue for the November 6 election.
The following is a statement from the Lubbock Independent School District:
At their meeting today, the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the proposal of a $130 million bond package with no increase to the tax rate. The bond proposal will be on the November 6 general election ballot and includes projects in the areas of efficiency, hardening facilities for safety and security, and facilities for academic programming.
Amber Dean, Mark Griffin and Wayne Havens, co-chairs of the Securing Our Future bond steering committee, presented a recommendation to the board for the bond package. The 100-member committee, comprised of parents, grandparents and community stakeholders, spent the last nine weeks reviewing safety information, academic programming and updating the Long-Range Facility Plan.
Efficiency recommendations totaling $53 million include the consolidation of Guadalupe, Jackson and Wright elementary schools into a new, state-of-the-art campus in north Lubbock. The new school will create expanded academic and collaborative opportunities for students and teachers along with providing the most updated technology and security features. Roofing and HVAC replacements are also part of the efficiency recommendations. The updates are projected to result in an annual energy savings of more than $600,000 and touch every facility in the district.
Projects to harden facilities for safety and security are in the form of updated security measures and reduction of portable buildings at a cost of $50 million. The security needs vary by campus, but include securing vestibule entries, replacement of front door intercom/buzz-in systems, remote access PA systems, door hardware, additional surveillance cameras, lighting and fencing. The replacement of portable buildings with classroom space at three campuses is also part of the allotted cost under safety and security.
Plans for facilities to support academic programming, totaling $27 million, include projects at Monterey High School, Talkington School for Young Women Leaders and a new Agri-STEM complex. Renovation of the Monterey High School auditorium will complete the lobby, restroom and dressing room updates and bring the facility to the district’s standard and into accessibility compliance. The Talkington School for Young Women Leaders project would add an auditorium to be used for assemblies and as a fine arts performance space. The school is a repurposed elementary campus and does not have the same facility resources as the district’s other four high schools. The proposed Agri-STEM Complex would be a new facility supporting expansion of career and technical education programs in the area of agricultural sciences.