Sherman, Texas, residents and voters got a chance to ask their burning questions Thursday night about the proposed $308 million bond meant to overhaul the Sherman Independent School District's facilities.
Dozens attended the meeting that was held in the Grayson County Courthouse and moderated by the Sherman League of Women Voters. Members of the crowd submitted their questions is writing, which were then largely answered by Sherman ISD Superintendent David Hicks. The district administrator opened with a presentation about the bond, the proposed projects and the tax impact it would have on the community if passed.
"Tonight, like in the other nights, my goal is to make sure you have information ... you need to go out and make an informed choice and to take part in the election process," Hick said, referring to previous communitywide bond information meetings.
Under the proposed bond, facility and district updates would be completed in three phases. The first includes a new high school and districtwide technology upgrades. The second phase would commence with a renovation of the existing high school so that it could be turned into a new middle school, as well as the construction of two new elementary schools. The third and final phase would bring about an updated or altogether new Bearcat Stadium and updated, multipurpose facilities. If passed, the bond would raise property taxes by 23 cents per $100 of taxable property value. For the average Sherman homeowner, whose property is worth roughly $88,000 that would mean a monthly tax increase of approximately $17 per month or $200 per year.
With the new high school listed as the district's top priority and estimated to cost a total of $146 million, Hicks said he's heard members of the community ask how the district arrived at such a price tag when other area school districts have of built schools of similar sizes for less.
"You may hear other school districts built schools for $85 (million) or $90 (million) or $100 (million)," Hicks said. "Often times those amounts do not include the total project cost. That is a construction cost. It doesn't include the engineering fees. It doesn't include the architecture fees, it doesn't include the land fees. It doesn't include lots of additional costs involved in building a school."
Hicks also addressed the district's recent entrance into an agreement with the City of Sherman to purchase 98 acres land at the price of $2.65 million for the new high school at the intersection of OB Groner Road and FM 1417. He said he has heard members of the community ask why the district moved on the property ahead of the election.
"It was not because we assumed the bond election would pass," Hicks said. "It was simply because the site met our needs. We know this district will need land at some point for a new high school. Land prices continue to go up. Where we purchased the land, the city is also planning infrastructure improvement. It made sense to buy the land and lock in the price and do it in the same part of the city where the city is planning development at this time. There is potential that that could result in savings for us because they're already building the roads and putting in the utilities and infrastructure that we won't have to do."
Those who submitted questions were not named aloud by the meeting moderator, but one member of the crowd asked whether the district had paid off its bills stemming from the 2009 construction of a new cafeteria, gymnasium, band hall and common area.
"So, currently, right now, we have around $68 million in debt funding that is still outstanding, that has yet to be cured," Assistant Superintendent Tyson Bennett said in reply to the question.
Bennett went on to explain that the debt figure also included two series of bonds from the 1994 election. He said the district doesn't sell off the bonds immediately in order to repay debts, as holding onto the bonds allows the school district to flexibly fund construction projects as they are needed.
But not all who attended felt as if their questions were adequately answered or even posed. Don Bailey, an area attorney and anti-bond campaign organizer, said his question was lost in translation, preventing him from getting the answer he wanted.
"My question I asked was, "For how long will our school property taxes be at the highest rate allowed in Texas?'" Bailey said. "That's the question I asked, and it didn't get asked. I saw (the moderator) look at my paper and he said 'How long does it have to be amortized for? 'Well, that's not the same thing."
Amortization is the reduction or elimination of a debt achieved by regularly setting aside money, often on a schedule.
Bailey said he believes the district has not been consistent, forthcoming or accurate in its publication of project costs and that simply doesn't give him the confidence to vote in favor of the bond.
"There's more reasonable approaches to this and I'm not opposed to funding schools," Bailey said. "I pay a lot of property taxes in Sherman. I pay a lot of property taxes in Denison, But they've got to be smart about it and this approach is not being smart. It's writing Sherman ISD a blank check for $308 million, that they can cash at their leisure for 15 years."
Whatever voters' positions, Hicks said it is important that residents vote.
"This is a huge decision for our community," Hicks said. "We've had more than 1,000 people vote already, and that's excellent. A thousand people, in four days, have come forward and said, 'Here's what I want for the future of Sherman ISD.' Encourage your friends, and please go vote yourselves."
Early voting is currently ongoing through April 29 and will then continue May 1-2. Election Day is May 6.
