Tomball ISD outlines Bond 2025 priorities, seeks project manager and architect and plans first sale this summer

Tomball Independent School District leaders briefed the Board of Trustees on June 2 about plans to move after voters approved the district’s $429 million Bond 2025 package, including a tentative schedule for an initial bond sale and recommendations to hire outside project and design teams.

The board workshop report matters because the bond funds will finance school replacements, safety and facility upgrades across the district; decisions on sale timing, project sequencing and vendor selection affect tax-rate management, design timelines and classroom disruption.

Zach Bowles, chief financial officer, summarized the May 3 election results: “Voters approved all bond propositions, totaling approximately or just over $429,000,000,” he said to the board. Bowles said the district is completing a final prioritization of projects and will use that list to set project timelines and cash-flow plans with a project management firm.

District staff recommended selecting Lockwood, Andrews & Newman (LAN) as the construction manager/agent/project manager and authorized negotiation of contract terms; the board will review negotiated contracts at a future public meeting. The district also recommended Huckabee Architects as architect for the new Tomball Intermediate School and asked the board to authorize the superintendent to finalize contract negotiations.

Bowles told trustees the district plans a phased bond issuance rather than selling the full authorization at once. Staff said the first sale could occur in mid‑July with a closing in August and a first payment before Sept. 1 to qualify for a state “hold harmless” provision tied to recent changes in the homestead exemption. Staff said the first sale is tentatively sized near $200 million; the district’s financial adviser noted current market volatility while emphasizing the district will seek the most favorable timing.

On nearer-term facility work, district staff presented a proposed repair and service package for two chillers at Tomball High School: a contract line showing $396,837.05 for parts and labor on Chillers C‑3 and C‑4 and a service agreement totaling $121,216.92 for the warranty period, for a combined amount of $518,053.97 using Bond 2025 funds. The board was told the work completes a multi‑year chiller replacement program to avoid taking multiple units offline in hot months.

Other procurement items on the workshop agenda included a recommended $254,500 purchase of three existing portables for Rose Hill Elementary from Satellite Shelters (using Bond 2025 funds), and a $100,000 counseling-and-wellness contract (Clear Hope) funded by the Tomball Regional Health Foundation grant.

Trustees asked about timelines for the new Tomball Intermediate School. District staff said an aggressive target would be for occupancy in fall 2028 but cautioned a later date (fall 2029) could be necessary depending on design choices, permitting and sequencing. Staff emphasized site development, design selection (prototype vs. ground-up) and permitting as major schedule variables.

Financial adviser John Roebuck told the board the bond market was “very volatile right now,” and the district said it will work with underwriters to choose an opportune sale date; staff noted the hold-harmless funding could offset interest costs enough to make a summer sale desirable even in a choppy market.

No final contract awards or bond sales were approved during the workshop. Several items on the workshop agenda were listed for consideration at the district’s upcoming regular meeting, and district staff said they will return negotiated contracts and parameter-order documents to the board for final approval in public session.

District contacts: Zach Bowles, chief financial officer; John Roebuck, financial adviser; Marcus Dietz, bond counsel.