Voters in the Eanes Independent School District will have a decision to make this fall.
On Tuesday, the Eanes Board of Trustees voted to call a a May 6 bond election, which will ask for voter approval to borrow $131.429 million for safety and security upgrades, maintenance and refurbishment projects, and the purchase of new electronic devices.
The bond proposal consists of three propositions:
Proposition A would authorize safety and security upgrades, physical repairs, and refurbishments at every campus — as well as energy-efficiency projects, network replacements, new learning management system, and library modernizations. Projects include roof and HVAC repairs, playground resurfacing, new pavement of parking lots, server upgrades and replacement of fine arts equipment and instruments. Refurbishment of newly purchased district property adjacent to Westlake High School is also included. Cost: $117.773 million.
Proposition B would authorize refurbishments at Chaparral Stadium including safety upgrades, pole lighting replacements, a replacement video board and track surface replacement. Cost: $2.411 million
Proposition C would authorize the replacement of student and staff digital devices, as well as computer equipment in labs, classrooms, and offices. Cost: $11.245 million.
Were voters to say yes in May, the district claims that there would be no impact to the current tax rate.
“This is an opportunity for voters to authorize maintenance on, and improvements to every single campus without raising the tax rate,” said Eanes ISD Board President John Havenstrite. “Our community-led Bond Advisory Committee took a hard look at safety, security, student programs, energy efficiency, conservation and facility needs. And the projects they recommended address all of those areas and, importantly, save us money.”
The last Eanes ISD bond election was in May 2019, when voters approved an $80 million proposal that included new spaces for the Westlake High School aquatics and wrestling programs, and expanded space for the robotics and engineering programs.
“Funding that is approved through bond elections is not subject to recapture,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeff Arnett. “All of the bond revenue would stay here in Eanes ISD to benefit staff and students and to address needs identified in collaboration with our community.”
