Texas City ISD asks La Marque council to waive remaining permit and plan-review fees for Lamarque High School

Texas City Independent School District officials told the La Marque City Council on Feb. 10 that the district has already paid roughly $1.2 million in plan-review and permitting fees for the Lamarque High School rebuild and asked the city to waive the remaining fees so the project would not exceed the district’s budget estimate.

At a council meeting attended by Superintendent Dr. Melissa Duarte, School Board President Lori Carnes and PBK Architects project manager Chris Green, Dr. Duarte summarized the district’s position: “When we passed this bond election and we knew that we were gonna begin building Lamarque High School, our general contractor had estimated around a million dollars is what we would pay in fees for this rebuild for our facility… the district has paid $1,200,000 in fees for the construction of Lamarque High School.”

Why it matters: the district says the fee estimate the general contractor used when budgeting the bond was based on the city’s online fee schedule at that time. City staff said La Marque updated its schedule in 2022 and that the city charges valuation-based plan-review and permit fees that can rise when project valuation or re-submittals increase. Council members pressed city and school staff for specifics about which permits and plan reviews remain unpaid and how much additional financial exposure the district faces.

What was said and done: PBK and ISD representatives walked council through a multi-page fee breakdown showing plan-review fees of roughly $325,748.54 already paid and permit fees approaching $876,000; the district identified remaining items in the stadium and athletic-field permit lines. City Developmental Services staff said their records show the department reviewed some plans five times and that some re-review fees were not assessed to the district's account. Fire Marshal and engineering reviews were also discussed as parts of the total. Chief Merriman (Fire Marshal) told council the city’s plan-review fees are valuation based and that rechecks and resubmittal fees can add up on complex, large projects.

Council concern centered on how the district’s original $1,000,000 budget for fees rose to the $1.2 million paid so far and whether La Marque’s 2022 fee schedule change contributed to that difference. Dr. Duarte said the district used the city’s then-current online schedule when the contractor estimated fees and asked the city for help so remaining dollars could be spent on school facilities rather than additional fees. Several council members suggested non-fee options as well — such as using city-owned parcels, developer concessions or bond resources — but council was also careful to note legal limits on transferring public funds and to request legal guidance.

Council action and next steps: Council voted to direct city staff to prepare options for mitigating the district’s remaining fee burden — including fee reductions, alternative payment options and any legally permissible transfers — and to work with district representatives to resolve outstanding items. The motion directed staff to return with options the council could consider; staff said they would coordinate with the city attorney before proposing measures that could involve public funds or property. City staff estimated the still-unpaid permitting-related amount at roughly $163,000 and suggested total remaining fees (including athletic fields) could be in the neighborhood of $200,000, though they cautioned that figure was a preliminary estimate.

What remains unclear: The district and the city still need to reconcile exact outstanding permit and plan-review line items (civil permits, stadium and field alternates, and some MEP and fire-protection plan reviews were cited). Council asked staff to produce a clear, itemized accounting of what remains unpaid and to return with legally vetted options to reduce or absorb the cost without violating state law on the use of public funds.

Context and background: The bond that funded the rebuild passed in 2022; the ISD says the contractor’s early budget estimate for permitting was around $1 million. La Marque updated its fee schedule in 2022; city staff said the fee structure is valuation based and comparable with nearby jurisdictions in several line items but varies by category. Council members and district officials repeatedly said the immediate priority is completing construction on schedule, noting the district has a planned completion/opening window in 2026 and that council action should not delay construction.

Quotes from officials were limited to those recorded at the meeting: Dr. Melissa Duarte, superintendent of Texas City ISD, said the district “had asked the city if we could have some discussions over reducing some of the rates so that we could use some of those funds to be able to add to the facility.” Interim City Manager Joshua Pritchett and Developmental Services Director (Ellison) told council staff would reconcile records and work with the district and the city attorney on options.

Ending: Council did not order an immediate fee waiver at the meeting; instead members approved the staff directive to return with legally vetted options and a reconciliation of outstanding permit and plan-review costs. The city and school district said they would continue negotiations and meet again; staff also committed to providing a timeline and regular updates to council so council can track progress and any possible impacts to the school’s schedule.