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Residents urge LUBBOCK ISD to move quickly on Hodge Elementary for church-run services; trustees cite legal steps
Summary
Multiple residents urged the LUBBOCK ISD board to expedite transfer of Hodge Elementary to Arise Ministries, citing local services and signatures of support; trustees said state law requires appraisal, public notice and sale or bidding before any donation can occur and that the process may be lengthy.
Residents pressed the LUBBOCK ISD Board of Trustees to expedite a transfer of Hodge Elementary to Arise Ministries, saying the congregation already provides food, clothing and support programs that serve the neighborhood.
"They have a food pantry, a clothes closet, a widow's ministry, and they feed over 800 meals to homeless each month," Susan Pettis told trustees during the public-comment period, urging the district to allow the church to acquire the facility for continued community use.
The requests were echoed by other speakers who said they had gathered signatures in support. "We have taken signatures of over 43 concerned citizens," Lisa Hes told the board, and Jamie Anderson said she and others were prepared to volunteer and provide financial support to keep the building in community use.
Why the board cannot immediately transfer the property, trustees and district staff said, is legal and procedural. A board member explained the district must obtain clear title, secure an appraisal to determine fair market value and list the property for sale; if bids do not meet the appraised value, state law allows the board to consider donation to eligible public organizations but only after statutory steps have been followed. The board member cited an illustrative appraisal figure discussed in the meeting as an example of how valuation is handled.
Superintendent Dr. Rolo and trustees said they were sympathetic to the community's desire to reuse the building but warned the process of clearing title, appraising and completing the required public steps can take months or longer; they said the district had previously spent substantial time locating heirs on other surplus properties. "We support the public interest, but this is a legal process that must be followed," a trustee said during remarks responding to public comments.
Speakers also raised related concerns at the meeting, including bus-routing and student safety issues. Taylor Gorman described multiple incidents where middle school students waited outdoors for a late bus, once for roughly an hour, and asked trustees to investigate coordination between the district and contracted bus providers. "Who's responsible for making sure these kids are safe?" Gorman asked.
The board did not take a formal vote on property disposition at the meeting. Trustees directed staff to continue following statutory steps and to communicate with petitioners about the timeline and requirements for any potential transfer or donation.
The board meeting continued with financial reports and other agenda items; there was no final action on Hodge Elementary during the session.
