Board advances capital plan and moves $17 million intent-to-fund request earlier
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Summary
The board approved a five-year capital improvement plan and voted 12–0 to move a $17 million intent-to-fund request for a new Split Lock middle school one year earlier in the plan. Superintendent Jason Golden said the district will use zoning and enrollment projections and then request county intent-to-fund decisions as appropriate.
The Williamson County Board voted Nov. 17 to approve the district’s five-year capital improvement plan and to accelerate one project’s proposed intent-to-fund request.
During discussion the board passed an amendment, moved by Dr. Johnson, to shift a $17,000,000 intent-to-fund (ITF) request for a middle school on the Split Lock property from the 2026–27 column into the 2025–26 column to permit earlier site work and design. Board members and district staff discussed whether impact-fee funds or bond-market timing could be used and noted the county commission, not the school board, ultimately controls disbursement of impact-fee funds. The superintendent said a portion of local levies and an impact-fee fund presently contain significant balances and that district staff would back-map construction schedules if the ITF is approved by the county.
Board members pressed staff on capacity and enrollment patterns. Superintendent Golden told the board the district had seen a slight enrollment decrease of less than 1% over the previous two years but added some middle- and high-school attendance had increased; the district emphasized rezoning would likely accompany new construction to balance schools. Board members also noted approximately $97,000,000 was in the impact-fee fund for schools, but Golden reiterated the county commission determines allowable uses and timing.
The motion to move the $17,000,000 ITF request passed by voice vote, 12 yes, 0 no. The full capital plan as amended was then approved by voice vote, 12 yes, 0 no. The board recorded that they will submit the plan to the county commission and that the district would seek an intent-to-fund vote in the county process based on back-mapped schedules; if the county commits the ITF, the district would then proceed to more detailed site work and design.
What happens next: the district will present the updated capital plan to the county commission (beginning in January committee review) and will continue enrollment analysis and rezoning planning. If the county commission grants intent-to-fund approval, the district will move forward with site work and procurement as described in the plan.