Less than a month after voters struck down a $308 million bond for the Sherman Independent School District, SISD officials have posted an online survey seeking opinions and advice on what to include in a new bond package.
"The results of this are input and feedback for us," Director of Communications Emily Parks said, noting the survey is designed to broaden the scope of input the district receives. "We want to take this and provide it back to the community. This isn't necessarily going to drive or be the foundation of any work that comes out of this, but it will definitely inform it."
The 13-question survey is available on the district's website and includes questions about how voters obtained information on the previous bond election, what influenced their votes and whether the planned renovations are needed.
In January, the Building Bearcats 2030 citizens advisory committee recommended the $308 million bond package to the district's board of trustees. That package included plans for a new high school, an updated or new football stadium, two new elementary schools and a technology program to encompass all campuses.
Under the proposed bond, taxes for the average Sherman homeowner, whose house and property are worth $88,000, would have been raised by roughly $17 per month or $202 each year. The district's interest and sinking tax rate would have increased from its current 27 cents to 50 cents per $100 valuation -- the maximum allowed by the state.
Ultimately, the bond failed by 145 votes, as 2,195 people voted against the bond and just 2,050 voted in favor of it.
The online survey asks whether those filling it out voted, as well as questions about their interest in Sherman ISD. Parks said the opinions of those who aren't registered voters will still be counted.
"We initially had just Sherman, but our ISD boundaries don't necessarily reflect the city boundaries, so we wanted to make sure we are including everyone that is within the ISD boundaries," Parks said, explaining that if there are enough unregistered potential voters that respond, the district may hold a registration drive to make them eligible to vote next time.
Four days after the previous bond package was defeated, Superintendent David Hicks and board of trustees President Tim Millerick held a press conference to announce the district's plan to try again in November. Hicks said for the bond to be on the ballot then, the board would need to call the election in August.
"Our facility needs are great and they exist -- I don't think that's in dispute," Hicks said in early May. "I think it's important that our community has said, 'Let's reconvene the conversation.' I think there's energy in the community to take action at the first available opportunity, which would be November."
In addition to the survey being displayed on the district homepage, Parks said she will be emailing a link to the survey to all parents and putting one on social media.
"We just want a good cross section of the community," Parks said. "What I want is just to make sure when I pull out the data and separate it by group, that I've got a good cross section and enough responses that I feel it's going to accurately give us the information and really just show that we've hit all the areas."
She said the survey itself can be filled out in a few minutes but gives options to allow much more feedback.
"If they just went through and selected answers, just a few minutes," Parks said. "If they wanted to give further feedback, we have a couple of options to type out feedback to us."
