Residents urge Germantown leaders to increase funding for Houston High and district capital needs

Multiple residents urged the Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen on April 14 to direct more funding to the Germantown Municipal School District, focusing on delayed capital improvements at Houston High School.

Speakers during the Citizens to Be Heard period said the high school has not had significant upgrades since it opened in 1989 and urged the city to prioritize school facilities to retain families and protect property values. "I worry that the path of the board and the path of that budget does not seem commensurate with the commitment that we have made to ensure that our students receive an adequate education," said Seth Carroll, a Germantown resident, referencing Houston High.

The comments came from a mix of parents, PTO/PTSO leaders and long-term residents. Julianne Zimateo, PTO president at Houston Middle School, contrasted Germantown with another community where property taxes were used more directly for schools and said she would consider a tax increase only if funding for schools were guaranteed: "I am not against the property tax hike if it is guaranteed a certain amount every year, a baseline goes directly to the school district," Zimateo said.

Kristen Bowman, PTO president at Riverdale and a Houston High alumna, described classroom and facility deficiencies at Houston High—limited outlets, technology problems, lack of windows and cramped performance spaces. "One of the most highly trained orchestra directors in the state is teaching out of a back room meant for storage," Bowman said, describing split rehearsal periods and inadequate dressing-room space for theater students.

Joy Williams, president of the Houston High PTSO and a local realtor, told the board she supports increased capital investment for the district and called $8,000,000 "a great start, but it's not sufficient" to modernize Houston High and remain competitive with neighboring districts. Another speaker warned that declining school conditions can reduce enrollment and funding, which in turn can hurt property values.

Mayor and board members responded on the record to say education remains a priority. The mayor noted the city has contributed, "directly and indirectly, somewhere around a hundred and $3,000,000, to public education in Germantown since GMSD's inception," and said many proposed projects advance only when outside grants are awarded. Mayor and staff invited speakers to continue one-on-one discussions after the meeting.

The speakers did not present a formal petition or motion; no vote or formal board direction on specific funding changes was taken during the meeting.

The comments were recorded during the Citizens to Be Heard portion of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting on April 14, 2025.