Texas City ISD asks La Marque council to waive about $300,000 in permit fees for new high school

Dr. Melissa Duarte, superintendent of the Texas City Independent School District, asked the La Marque City Council on May 1 to waive an estimated $300,000 in remaining permit fees for the district’s new La Marque High School and its athletic facilities and to place the matter on the council’s May 12 agenda.

Duarte told the council that the district did not ask to pay nothing for the construction project but that changes in the county drainage determination increased costs that the district absorbed. “Based on our civil engineer, Ellis Engineering, and the drainage study, we were adequate with the original planned drainage of 365 acres, but the Galveston County Drainage District came back with a 2,438 acre of drainage areas, which required additional drainage and an increase in the pipe size,” Duarte said. She said that change led to about $370,000 in additional cost and that the district had already paid $1,260,000 in fees to date and contributed an additional $9,000,000 from fund balance for softball and baseball fields.

The request before the council is limited to waiving the remaining estimated $300,000 in permit fees, Duarte said, arguing that the savings could be used for instructional resources at La Marque High School. “We are asking the city to waive only the remaining estimated $300,000 in permit fees,” Duarte said.

The mayor told Duarte the council could not respond during citizens’ participation but explained how items are placed on the agenda and asked who would submit the request for consideration. After a brief exchange, Mr. Pritchett confirmed staff would place the item on the May 12 agenda. The mayor then told Duarte the council had her request and expected to see her and district representatives at the council’s next meeting.

The district requested formal council consideration rather than an immediate on-the-spot decision; the transcript shows council did not vote on the request at the May 1 meeting. The mayor emphasized that, under the Texas Open Meetings Act and council procedure, the council would handle the matter at a future public meeting.

If the council places the item on the May 12 agenda, council discussion and any subsequent vote would appear in the public minutes for that meeting.

Background: Duarte said both Texas City and La Marque voters approved bonds for the district’s school projects. She described the new high school as “state of the art” and said district leaders prioritized completing the entire facility. The district’s figures and engineering reports, Duarte said, would be provided to the council when the item is formally placed on the agenda.

Next steps: The council indicated the matter will be on the May 12 agenda; no formal vote or waiver occurred on May 1.