Brownsville ISD citizens facility committee recommends roughly $350 million bond package to address roofs, HVAC, CTE and transportation

The Citizens Facility Committee for Brownsville Independent School District on Tuesday presented a final report recommending a prioritized bond package of about $350 million to address urgent building repairs, system upgrades, a new career and technical education (CTE) center and transportation needs, while leaving a proposed performing arts center for separate board consideration.

The report, presented by committee co-chairs Rusty Brochaux and Henry Lavier, sets roofing and HVAC repairs as top priorities and recommends the board consider a general-purpose proposition of approximately $350,000,000 for immediate facility needs. "If we only had a dollar to spend and we needed $3 to do it all, where are you gonna spend that dollar?" Brochaux said, summarizing the committee's prioritization approach.

The committee compiled condition assessments and estimates after site visits and staff interviews. It identified roofing work on 15 elementary schools, three middle schools and three high schools and HVAC upgrades on about 15 elementary campuses, two middle schools and three high schools; the committee estimated the cost to address those roofing and HVAC items at about $305,900,000. The report also lists major renovation projects the committee recommends for selected campuses, including Canales Elementary (estimated $20,600,000), Sharp Elementary (about $31,400,000), Stell Middle School (about $17,700,000) and PACE Early College High School (about $22,600,000). "This report to me is very important because it's an investment in our assets," Lavier said.

On workforce and student services, the committee…