Jones Creek residents urge board to keep Stephen F. Austin open, criticize district spending

Several Jones Creek residents urged the Brazosport ISD Board of Trustees on Monday to reverse cuts and follow through on past bond commitments for Stephen F. Austin Elementary, saying the school’s small, rural character and recent staff reductions risk students’ well‑being and enrollment.

The comments were delivered during the meeting’s public‑comment period. Rocky Thomas, who identified himself as a community member, said closing Stephen F. Austin would “destroy their childhood” and accused the district of failing to research building constraints and of spending bond money in other areas instead of on promised renovations. “We were content to have ours updated, but we were told this was not possible due to the floodplain and the need to build up too high,” Thomas said, adding he later learned the measurements were incorrect and that the district paid a landowner “approximately $55,000 for property for a new school site you did not use.”

Another speaker, identified as Miss Harski, said recent staffing cuts left the campus with “one person in the office” who doubled as the nurse and that promised facility upgrades were not happening. “How do you intend to attract students and retain them when you continue taking away the resources and support of the students at Stephen at Boston?” she asked, saying the community remains willing to work with the district but fears the school’s future.

Speakers tied their concerns to bond promises and district spending decisions. Thomas criticized district leadership and budget choices, saying the superintendent’s compensation and consultant contracts should be reconsidered before pursuing new bond measures. Harski, who thanked the board for earlier decisions to keep the school open, said the community now needs tangible investments, not “empty promises.”

Discussion vs. decision: these were public comments; the board did not take immediate action during the meeting. Board policy and meeting procedures were announced before public comment; the board did not deliberate on Stephen F. Austin during the public‑comment segment and no vote or direction was recorded at the time.

Clarifying details from the meeting: Rocky Thomas said a land purchase of about $55,000 was made for a site not used; Harski said the campus would operate with one office staff member and that promised facility upgrades had not occurred. Speakers asked the board to report what past bond funds were spent on and questioned the maintenance of existing facilities.

Proper names mentioned in comments include Stephen F. Austin Elementary and Jones Creek; speakers referenced “bond” money and the district’s superintendent by role but did not provide additional identified documents during the public comment period.

What happens next: public commenters asked the board for investigation and follow‑up; no formal board motion or assignment was recorded in the transcript during the meeting.