Tomball ISD steering committee recommends five-part bond package; prioritizes facility repairs and multiuse athletic centers

Tomball ISD trustees heard on Jan. 13 that a district-appointed Bond 2025 steering committee recommended a bond package of up to five propositions covering general-purpose facilities, technology, large-capacity athletic upgrades, a natatorium at Tomball West High School and multiuse facilities at each high school.

The recommendation was presented by Dr. Steven Gutierrez, the district's chief operating officer, who told the board “the steering committee did recommend a bond package containing up to 5 propositions.” The committee’s work, board members were told, will inform a deeper staff presentation and a possible board call for a May 3 bond election.

Why it matters: the bond would fund school construction, infrastructure replacement and facility upgrades to address growth and aging systems across the district. Committee members and district staff described the package as an effort to “anchor the base” by preserving existing facilities while planning capacity and program improvements where enrollment is rising.

Details: the committee — 25 members including 16 parents and nine district staff — prioritized items in Proposition A (general purpose) with facility infrastructure replacements at the top. Other high priorities were safety and security upgrades and campus revitalization. Separate propositions (B–E) proposed technology for staff and students; athletic upgrades for venues over 1,000 seats; a natatorium for Tomball West High School; and multiuse indoor facilities at each high school. Committee members noted the legal requirement that some large-capacity stadium improvements must be placed in a separate proposition.

Community members emphasized indoor multiuse facilities as a way to avoid lost practice days under heat and lightning restrictions. Chris Sampson, a parent and committee member, argued the multiuse centers would benefit all extracurricular programs (band, cheer, athletics) and reduce weather-related cancellations and missed training days. Gary Boudreaux, another committee member, said the fiscal presentations “solidified my belief that this is a conservative minded spend” and praised staff for demographic and debt-management briefings.

Board and staff concerns: committee members flagged that some wants exceed likely funding, noted trade-offs between buying land now for future schools versus delaying new construction, and discussed how to present projects to voters. Dr. Martha Salazar Zamora and staff emphasized ongoing work with bond counsel to model packages that avoid a tax rate increase, as the district has done in prior bonds.

Next steps: the board scheduled a deeper review of project-level costs and funding options. Staff told trustees the board could consider calling for a bond at its February meeting to place a proposition on the May 3 ballot.

Ending: the steering committee’s recommendation provides the framework for staff to prepare cost estimates and voter materials; trustees will decide whether to place any propositions before voters in the coming months.