Trustees debate $31M central office plan, question whether renovation would be cheaper
Summary
Trustees pressed district staff about whether the bond-funded plan to build a new central office represents sufficient due diligence versus renovating existing properties. Staff said professional advice and preliminary costs led them to recommend new construction on district land; trustees raised enrollment declines (~140 students), differing appraisals of district property value, and potential conflicts of interest to be checked with TASB.
The board extensively discussed a proposed new central office and related renovations, with trustees questioning whether the district had completed exhaustive searches for existing properties and whether renovating an older building would be more fiscally prudent than new construction.
One trustee said it "does not feel substantial enough" to make a $31,000,000 decision after getting numbers for only one building. District staff replied they had engaged attorneys and brokers (including Mike Gentry and commercial broker Josh Eisenhower) beginning in early 2024, had priced candidate properties such as the Academy Building and Eastmark, and determined that renovating available buildings—some with flood‑plain concerns and high renovation costs—would not deliver long‑term value. Staff said the budget for the new facility remained aligned with the bond and that VOK architects advised the current construction budget.
Trustees raised multiple concerns: a preliminary enrollment decline of about 140 students that could affect operating budgets; disagreement about an appraisal of a district‑owned site (staff cited an $800,000 appraisal while a trustee relayed a developer estimate near $6 million); and a trustee suggestion that a board member representing an HOA adjacent to the property seek guidance on potential conflict of interest. A trustee also questioned utility‑cost assumptions, calling a $4,000/month utilities figure for a 60,000‑square‑foot building "incredibly conservative."
District staff described a plan to relocate the alternative school (DAEP) from College View and repurpose that campus—potentially as an early college high school—if the board moves forward with a new central office on district land, and estimated the repurposed facility could accommodate roughly 450 students. No project vote was taken during the workshop; trustees asked staff to provide additional comparative data and to answer outstanding questions before the next meeting.
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