Eagle Pass ISD board hears construction updates, district finance snapshot and project timelines

Eagle Pass Independent School District trustees on Feb. 11 received a district financial update and detailed progress reports on multiple construction projects, including revised schedules after testing and redesigns slowed some work.

The finance presenter said the district’s Maintenance & Operations (M&O) revenues are approximately $71.4 million and that revenues received so far represent roughly 63.4% of the year’s total. He said expenditures presented to the board were lower than revenues; expenditures for the period shown were described as about 37.2 (million). The district’s utility budget is about $4.1 million and spending on utilities through the reporting period was reported at about 21% (approximately $881,010, district figure reported by staff). The presenter said tax collections were strong in January, at about 75% collected to date, with an expected total collection rate near 96–98% by year-end.

Davis Powell, the district project architect, briefed trustees on individual construction projects and timelines. He said the Student Activity Center bleacher‑cover project, with JP Sanchez as contractor and a contract amount of $2,490,000, experienced delays after concrete tests showed the material was not performing to specification. That discovery prompted additional testing and redesign of footings for the cantilevered structure; work has restarted at the softball stadium and footing work at the baseball stadium is scheduled after the baseball season. Powell said the contractor and district expect to complete the bleacher cover project in October 2025, subject to the revised schedule.

Powell described other projects and contract amounts: a counseling office remodel in the Eagle Pass High School library mezzanine (Frontera Construction; $1,300,000) with elevator installation recently delayed until all parts were on site; a high‑school track relocation (JP Sanchez; originally about $5 million, increased by change orders to $6,320,000) with estimated completion in August 2025; cross‑country trails around the high school campuses (RKW Landscaping; $518,050) expected in April; a high‑school food‑service remodel (Frontera Construction; $2,100,000) awaiting kitchen equipment delivery; and a new multipurpose building for dance and cheer (JP Sanchez; $4,950,000) expected in August 2025.

Trustees pressed for practical details. Trustee Tom Gonzalez asked whether the existing foundations could hold the scheduled contests this year; Powell said the questioned foundations did not affect current bleacher seating and that the problematic foundations were separate from the spectator seating. Trustee Morris Lipson asked whether the new track would be usable by August; Powell said the track should be usable by August but some ancillary spaces might not be finished until September or October. Powell said construction sequencing was arranged so that work that interfered with in‑season athletics would be deferred until seasonal breaks.

The board also discussed logistics for cross‑country trails where a trail flagging intersected current football practice areas; Powell said the trail alignment would be adjusted. On the counseling‑office elevator, trustees were told the contractor had the missing parts on site and planned to begin two‑week installation work that would allow the project to be completed within weeks if installation proceeds as scheduled.

Why it matters: The construction work touches high‑use student facilities — stadiums, cafeterias, counseling services and athletic training spaces — and several projects carry multi‑million‑dollar contracts and phased schedules that overlap with school programs and sports seasons. The finance update, particularly the utility budget figures and tax collection progress, framed how the district will plan for and fund near‑term and bond‑scale projects.

District figures and project contracts reported to the board: - M&O revenues reported: ~$71.4 million (period shown) - Utilities budget: ~$4.1 million; ~21% spent through the period shown (staff figure reported ~ $881,010 spent) - Student Activity Center bleacher covers (JP Sanchez): $2,490,000; estimated completion Oct. 2025 after footing redesigns - Eagle Pass High counseling office remodel (Frontera Construction): $1,300,000; elevator installation scheduled - High‑school track relocation (JP Sanchez): $6,320,000 (after change orders); estimated usable by Aug. 2025 - Cross‑country trails (RKW Landscaping): $518,050; estimated completion Apr. 2025 - High‑school food‑service remodel (Frontera Construction): $2,100,000; equipment delivery pending - Multipurpose/dance & cheer building (JP Sanchez): $4,950,000; estimated Aug. 2025

The presentation closed with trustees asking for continued updates on sequencing, athletics use during construction and certification of completed work before final payments.

Ending note: Board members said they want further coordination among campus staff, athletic coordinators and contractors to reduce interference with seasonal activities and to provide updates to the community as projects progress.