Gatesville ISD trustees adopt order calling $26 million bond election, keep ballot language broad
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Summary
The Gatesville ISD Board of Trustees voted to adopt an order calling a $26,000,000 bond election to fund school facility improvements without raising the tax rate, opting for broad ballot language and removing stadium/press‑box work from the main proposition.
At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Gatesville ISD Board of Trustees voted to adopt an order calling a $26,000,000 bond election that trustees said is intended to fund school facility improvements without increasing the district’s tax rate.
Board President Dr. Pollard recommended the bond package and emphasized the district’s cap: “we don't wanna raise the tax rate,” he said, framing the board’s shared goal of keeping the total at or below $26,000,000. Bond counsel Kristen Zavant advised the board on legal limits for stadium projects and on how to structure propositions on the ballot.
Why it matters: The bond, as discussed, would pay for a mix of classroom and facility work aimed at Gatesville Junior High and Gatesville High School — replacing portable classrooms with four permanent classrooms, renovating restrooms and the auditorium, providing dedicated band, choir and theater spaces, expanding parking and building a field house. Trustees and staff said the package prioritizes functional, not opulent, facilities and seeks to balance athletics and academics.
Key decisions and tradeoffs: The board agreed to remove the press box and large stadium‑seating work from the main proposition after counsel and staff noted that stadium expansions that create 1,000 or more seats would be treated as a separate proposition under Attorney General guidance. Counsel discussed a conservative estimate for a separate press‑box proposition — a not‑to‑exceed figure of about $1,000,000 was mentioned — and staff noted a prior $730,000 estimate for the seating/press‑box work. Trustees also debated whether to pursue turf for baseball and softball fields; several trustees and coaches argued turf would energize a key voting bloc, while others cautioned that emphasizing athletics could expose the bond to political resistance.
Ballot language and flexibility: Bond counsel recommended and trustees accepted broader legal ballot language that refers to financing “school facilities” while detailing likely projects in voter‑education materials rather than itemizing every project in the legal proposition. Counsel said that broad language preserves flexibility if bids come in higher or lower than expected; trustees said community materials and fact sheets will list the proposed projects.
Unresolved items and next steps: Trustees asked staff to obtain roofing and HVAC assessments for the intermediate campus and to refine cost estimates. The board adopted the order calling the bond election with the revised language; the transcript records the motion, a second and the chair’s announcement that the motion passed. The transcript does not record a roll‑call or the tally of yes/no votes.
What happens next: Staff and advisors will finalize ballot language and voter information materials and obtain more detailed cost estimates, including assessments requested for roofing and mechanical systems. If the district later pursues a separate stadium/press‑box proposition, the board will set a not‑to‑exceed amount and place it on a separate ballot question.
