The Ridgerunner

To The Ridgerunner:

For those of us who attend WISD board meetings on a regular basis, last night’s meeting was “refreshing.” First, the general public finally got a chance to ask questions and be given answers.

The Board, with one exception, finally understands the pulse of the community. The “all or nothing” scenario is not acceptable, and compromise is the order of the day. The Board talked about the bond and candidly admitted that as presented in the past the bond would more than likely never be passed, so a discussion ensued about what type of bond package could be put together that had a chance for passage. I believe everyone in the room agreed that renovations to our existing facilities was absolutely necessary, so renovations will be included in the bond package that will be placed on the November ballot. (I personally do not believe they could put together a package and vote on it and still make the March 13 deadline to be included on the May ballot, so that is why I believe the bond will be on the ballot in November rather than May.) Additionally, it was strongly recommended that an elementary school be built, and the public did not disagree. The only “unknown” was what grades to include in the new elementary school….K-3, K-5, etc. Whatever is decided the school will be built in such a way to allow for future expansion. Further, the Board will pursue the proposed elementary school site and build a resonably-priced, suitably-surfaced road to it.

Not realizing that the public was actually going to be able to ask questions rather than simply making statements on the record, I did not go prepared to actually get all my questions asked and answered; however, I did have with me the $25 million dollar band-aid letter that currently appears in the Ridgerunner. Because the Board was looking at a less aggressive package, I took the opportunity to present the “band-aid” approach that would include building an elementary school; road to the school site; infrastructure; renovations to existing schools, land purchase for a future high school, with monies left over….$6 million in fact. I honestly believe everyone in the room thought the package included the most important “needs,” so hopefully when the Board actually begins to put together their “modified” package, it will be one that does NOT add additional taxes. It was made very clear by Mr. Lombardo that whatever package they put together would have no tax increase, or very minimal tax increase.

Some discussion took place with regard to the proposed high school site. Mr. Junkin commented “perhaps the seller would be agreeable to selling us a smaller piece of land.” Later in the evening it was made very clear by the public in attendance that anything located on the bypass would not be acceptable and we should begin to look for available property closer to existing facilities. Hopefully, the Board understood that this community feels very passionately about NOT putting a school on the bypass. However, “Catfish” Pigg suggested that on the next ballot there be a YES/NO proposal as to locating a school on the bypass. Even that suggestion was not readily acceptable to the board, and most assuredly none of the public thought that was a good idea. I had the opportunity to make the comment that we all should simply keep our eyes and ears open to upcoming land offerings and if we heard of anything “acceptable” to simply e-mail or call the Superintendent’s office with the information. Hopefully, they understood that it truly involves all of us and putting together another “blue ribbon site selection committee” excluding the rest of us did not make sense then and does not make sense now. The community is quite capable of working together on site selections and, in fact, might very well start the healing process by allowing all of us a voice in where schools are placed so that no subdivision suffers as the “pass through conduit.”

So, for the first time in a very long time, it appears the Board is seriously listening to the community and I hope that they will put together a bond package that will work for all of us. I would suggest that you try to go to their next meeting, since they will start to talk more specifically about the new bond package. I believe it is set for March 6, so check their website or the board on RR 12 at the administration building.

Donna Williams
Wimberley

To the Ridgerunner:
A $25 million dollar bond would have cost us nothing. Yes, that’s right…nothing! That statement was made by School Board President, Basil Lombardo, at the board meeting held on February 13. Yet, rather than pursue what we could have accomplished with $25 million…again at no increased taxation, the Board’s attitude is that this amount would serve as only a band-aid effect. First, $25 million represents approximately 60% of the $42 million WISD asked the taxpayers to approve. So, let’s look at what a $25 million band-aid would have provided. (Information and projected cost estimates taken from the four-page bulletin mailed to residents within the geographic boundaries of WISD).

BUDGET COST
$25 million
ITEMS COVERED

$12,400,000.00 New Elementary School

$200.000.00 Roadway to Elementary School

$300,000.00 Infrastructure (approximate)*

$4,000.000.00 Renovations to Danforth

$1,500.000.00 Renovations to Scudder & JuniorHigh

$230,000.00 Bond (insurance/underwriting)

Total $18,630.000.00

I don’t consider this a band-aid effect at all. Rather, it seems we could have achieved much to address the Board’s assessment needs and had over $6 million to spare. This money could be used for other purposes….classrooms, cafeteria or other core facility additions and/or modifications to existing facilities. We could purchase more suitably located land for the site of the future high school, using the land in the interim for practice fields or for other appropriate uses.

I believe it is time for our Board (elected by us) to remember to whom they report and consider the pulse of this community. We all believe in providing our children with a quality education; however, we need to be fiscally responsible in the process. We all live with constraints on our pocket books; and, I’m sure most of us have budgets so I feel it is appropriate for our board members to step back from their doggedness and determination to come back time and time again until they get what THEY want. We are wasting precious time….forget the high school temporarily, and forget the current proposed site of the high school altogether. The community will not support the currently proposed location on the bypass so let’s all work together in an effort to seek more suitably located land. With $ 6 million left in our budget we find ourselves with significant options!

Donna Williams
Wimberley

*$300,000.00 extrapolated from $710,000 figure used for infrastructure to both school sites

It is expected that the board will again seek the same 42 million dollar bond package. On March 6 there will be a board meeting to determine whether they go out for the bond in May, the deadline for which would be March 13 or November, deadline would be August 29.

Many of those who voted against this proposition in February have said they could have voted for it if there had been some plan to compromise and to do the work that is needed to be done for the improvement of Wimberley schools in phases.

Judging from the tenor of the board meeting reported in the above letter, there exists no spirit of compromise on the part of the majority of this board. There will be an open meeting on February 27. This time voters should make the time to attend and to ask just why such a compromise is impossible.