College Station ISD will put $350 million bond before voters in November

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) -The College Station ISD Board of Trustees had a packed agenda ahead of the first day of school on Wednesday.

College Station ISD leaders met Tuesday night to consider several items including a $350 million bond aimed at district-wide enhancements, the implementation of House Bill 3 which requires an armed security guard or officer to be present throughout the school day at every campus, and setting a budget and tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year.

$350 MILLION BOND

The College Station ISD Board of Trustees has approved an order calling for a $350 million bond to go before voters on November 7 aimed at improving various aspects of the district. This proposal was recommended by the Long Range Facilities Planning Committee, which held several meetings over the last few months.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the board of trustees approved 6-0 with board member Blaine Decker recusing himself from the vote to approve the bond election.

A 48-member committee met six times in April and May and ultimately recommended the board call a bond that will cover projects totaling $350.862 million.

According to the district, the tax impact for the issuance of $350.862 million in bonds is estimated to be a two-cent increase in the CSISD Interest and Sinking Tax Rate.

By law, CSISD will have four separate propositions on the November ballot.

PROPOSITION A: General ($284,975,000)

• Districtwide Safety - $5 million
• Renovations to Rock Prairie Elementary - $13.82 million
• A&M Consolidated HS Additions and Renovations - $50.751 million
• Phase II College Station HS Additions and Renovations - $62.256 million
• Phase II Career and Technical Education Center - $32.150 million
• College View HS Cosmetology Lab - $1.355 million
• Middle School Athletic Field Renovations - $13.160 million
• Central Office Additions and Renovations - $31.111 million
• Transportation - $11.245 million
• Technology Infrastructure  - $14.127 million
• Facilities Maintenance Improvements - $45 million
• Land Acquisition - $5 million

PROPOSITION B: Technology Devices  ($14,145,000)

PROPOSITION C: Football Stadiums ($38,475,000)

• Tiger Stadium Fieldhouse Additions and Renovations - $11.355 million
• Tiger Stadium Renovations - $20.100 million
• Cougar Stadium Renovations - $7.020 million

PROPOSITION D: Baseball/Softball Stadiums ($13,270,000)

More information regarding the 2023 bond proposal can be found on the district’s Long Range Facility and Bond Planning Website:  LINK-LRFBP Website

A copy of the bond order can be found here.

Key dates leading up to the election include:

• Aug. 21 deadline for the Election Order
• Early Voting from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3
• Election Day on Nov. 7.

SCHOOL SAFETY

CSISD leaders also took action regarding H.B. 3 which requires armed security officers on each school campus.

This legislation follows a year after the deadliest school shooting in Texas, which occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Additionally, this new safety measure empowers the Texas Education Agency to ensure schools have active shooter plans in place.

In the upcoming 2023-24 academic year, both A&M Consolidated High School and College Station High School are set to have two Brazos County Sheriff’s Deputies assigned, while College View High School and every middle school will each be assigned one deputy. This marks an increase of one deputy per comprehensive high school compared to previous years.

The district says following discussions with local law enforcement, the possibility of assigning deputies to the remaining 13 elementary and intermediate schools has been deemed unfeasible due to limited personnel availability.

To address this, CSISD plans to collaborate with TNT Security Solutions for the provision of armed security guards at each elementary and intermediate school in its system.

Recently, Bryan ISD also approved a contract with TNT Security Solutions to comply with state law, requiring armed security at every school within the district.

BUDGET AND TAX RATE

CSISD leaders received a presentation on the 2023-24 budget and tax rate.

College Station ISD’s Chief Financial Officer, Amy Drozd said in her presentation that forecasts for the preliminary 2023-24 budget indicate projected revenues of $144,291,445. This sum takes into account augmented expenditures to accommodate a two percent salary increase for employees and adjustments for inflationary factors. Presently, the expected revenue falls approximately $1.7 million short of expenditures, with some expenditure figures yet to be finalized.

The district says that due to HB3 from 2019 and the newly passed SB2, the CSISD maintenance and operations tax rate will be lowered 22.58 cents.

The total CSISD tax rate will be 96.22 cents per $100 of valuation, which is 43.58 cents - or 31% - lower than the total rate in 2017.

The final budget and tax rate will be adopted in a special meeting on August 22.

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