San Marcos ISD sends $80M bond package before voters
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San Marcos school board members are asking voters to approve an almost $80 million bond package.
That figure came from a list of projects approved by a Citizens’ Advisory Committee. They received an audit of the district's needs and went to work.
"Then came the part about whittling down, knowing what the costs are, trying to decide what's more important than others. Final analysis: They were all important," Citizens’ Advisory Committee member Brian Bondy said.
About one-third of the requested money would go to renovate and improve five elementary and middle school campuses.
An additional $18 million would be used to build a new campus for the district's Phoenix program, fund alternative education programs and create a new pre-K campus. The district says those buildings are needed to meet the growing demand.
"From potential growth of the community to the potential growth of the school district, those are always things that are on the back burner,” Bondy said. “We know it's going to happen. It's just a question of when, not if.”
The two largest expenses are at the high school. The bond package calls for $13.5 million to renovate the school's locker rooms and build a new indoor student activity complex. At $18 million, the largest expense would be to build a football stadium.
If approved, the district would build an 8,000-seat stadium. It would be the first time in the school district's history that the San Marcos Rattlers would be able to play football in their own stadium. Right now, the football team leases Bobcat Stadium from Texas State University.
On May 11, voters will decide if it's time to build the team a home of their own. Capital improvements will be considered separately from the football stadium.