(Seguin) — A May bond election is more than a strong possibility for voters in the Seguin ISD.
Although they opted to table an item that would have ordered a bond election, members of the Seguin ISD Board of Trustees wanted to wait a little while longer until they could get clearer details behind a proposed bond election that could be as much as $5 million if not more.
That actual price tag, however, cannot be spelled out in stone until trustees meet again soon to discuss a plan – a plan that Interim Superintendent Veronica Vijil says is important to the district’s recent purchase of the Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center.
“When we acquired the learning center, we did it knowing that it was going to take some money, some funds to build it up to a point where we can use it. We are not there and as we wait for a word from TASB (Texas Association of School Boards), who will be here on Friday to make an assessment of the facilities that exist there, then we will have a better idea on the amount that it is going to take to bring it up to speed and so this is why we needed to slow down. Sometimes we have to go slow to go fast and this is a case of exactly that. We want to wait for word from TASB to see what their assessment is and so we can provide the community more details about the amount that it is going to cost. Right now, it is in the millions. We suspect that it’s going to be upward of maybe even over $5 million,” said Vijil.
Dr. Vijil says if approved, the money will go toward the necessary preparations required for student readiness at the SOLC.
“So that the rope’s course can be used, that we have a phone system out there that works, we have communication, we have all of the things that we want our students to be able to benefit from — that it’s secure and it’s safe for them to be there,” said Vijil.
Dr. Vijil adds that items for the SOLC make up the bulk of the bond request. She says the district is also expected to utilize other dollars for other important things district wide.
“As we had these discussions, we went back to let’s talk about things that are needed in this district that we can take to the community, to stakeholders, to get their feedback and really listen. I really believe that we have to listen to stakeholders as they are telling us ‘Is this the right time to go forward with a bond?’ We believe it is because we have received positive, positive communication about acquiring the learning center and so, let’s not buy something and not be able to use it. So, let’s get out there and we will explain it to them and then we will have the TASB report to help us with that support and that detail. Everything that we want to go for, that we want to discuss will benefit students across the district not just one particular group and that is our aim and that is our focus,” said Vijil.
The Seguin ISD Board of Trustees will meet again soon to discuss and possibly take action on the ordering of this bond election. If approved, that election will be held on Saturday, May 4.