By Dane Anderson, Staff Writer

Eanes school board members got a peak at what could become a new bond project during a study session Monday night.

Superintendent Nola Wellman and Larry Keiser, assistant suprintendent for business services presented an overview of first ideas that highlighted eight categories for consideration. The total cost of work listed in the initial look was $186.4 million.

“This is what we have on the list,” Wellman told board members. “Not that anything has been decided as to what our bond program will be. We still have many decisions to make that will change what will be in our bond program.” 

The list of current needs and wishes included $94 million in new district construction for such things as  a natatorium, a new elementary campus outside Loop 360, a new transportation facility, a wrestling room and new tracks and football fields at the middle schools. 

“These tracks are in such poor condition; they are hard to maintain,” said Les Reddin, district director of maintenance and operations, who advocated consideration of artificial turf. “They get heavy use from the community.”

The preliminary list of projects also included $27 million for maintenance, repair and replacement of existing equipment and facilities.

“Many of these [items] were passed over in previous bond packages,” Reddin said. The list included everything from painting the interior of  campuses to bus replacements to adding a parking lot behind West Ridge Middle School. 

The initial bond program overview included $22 million in identified needs for information systems and technology and $18.7 million for safety and security items, including fencing, outdoor lighting, security cameras and signage. Reddin said the district’s increased investment in security systems in recent years has paid off by reducing the incidents of vandalism.

The possible bond item identification list included $14 million for accessibility modifications to complete the district’s ADA transition plan and upgrade remaining non-compliant playgrounds to meet existing ADA standards. No details of the transition plan were included in the discussion.

The list also included  $7 million to cover the cost of four items related to curriculum and instruction that came up in campus meetings. The items included new storage for band equipment at middle schools, a science classroom addition at Westlake High School and a professional development center. Reddin said the list would get longer as the district hears further from campus teams.

Finishing out the list for board members to consider was an energy program improvement package estimated at $720,000 and $3 million in miscellaneous projects that include replacement of the scoreboard in Chaparral Stadium, renovation of campus cafeterias and provision of quarters for the district’s 19+ program.

Reddin asked the board to prioritize the items provided in the district needs list. 

“This is a huge number written down here, probably three times any bond election we’ve ever had,” said board member Clint Sayers, referring to the district needs list $186.4 million price tag. 

Sayers told district administrators that board members wanted to see a needs assessment and detail of cost per item for further bond consideration. He also said he wanted to be sure that jobs conducted by companies outside the district were sent out to bid.

“We need to get more competitive pricing, especially these days,” he said.

Sayers said that the board would need to conduct a budget or bond discussion session to continue the bond consideration process.

“A lot of hard work needs to be done,” he said. “I don’t want to give the impression these items [on the overview] are accepted.”

See related article on last night’s study session discussion of facility rental fees.