Tidehaven ISD
District Program and Facilities Advisory
Planning Committee Meeting
August 4, 2009 

Summary of Meeting 

The open forum was held in the Tidehaven High School Learning Resource Center.  There were 17 members, 2 guests, and 1 board members present.  Dr. Wesson began the meeting at 6:50 p.m. 

Dr. Wesson welcomed the members, board member, and guests.  With the main purpose of the meeting being to discuss the post bond survey results and a discussion of a possible November bond election, Dr. Wesson asked Mr. Gerald Wendel to address the committee.  Mr. Wendel discussed the survey results with the group.  He stated there were 186 surveys returned by the deadline, 54 were returned due to incorrect addresses, and 23 arrived after the deadline (and were not counted).  Of the 186 returned by the deadline, 97 voters had cast a vote FOR the bond in May, 72 had cast a NO vote, and 17 did not vote.

Of the 97 votes for the bond, 89% would vote for the same bond election again, 52% would vote for a higher tax rate, 41% would not vote for a higher tax rate and 7% gave no opinion.  Of the 72 votes against the bond, 63% want separate elementary campuses, 58% did not want any increase in their property taxes, 40% had other reasons, and 38% felt there was a lack of information provided about the bond. 

After some discussion of the results and a review of the cost of the past bond election, estimated to be between $45,000 -$50,000, Doris Streams recommended that the committee cease meeting.  She stated that the original job of the committee had been completed and that at this point no further meetings were needed to discuss the conditions of the district programs or facilities, that enough research had been provided and that it is up to the Board of Trustees to decide, as only they can, what, if any, bond election will be called for. 

The committee agreed to cease meeting but agreed to reconvene if the Board of Trustees so desired in the future.  The committee then decided to recommend to the Board of Trustees to purchase the land that was originally chosen for the past bond election before the owner moves forward with other opportunities, this decision was unanimous.  The committee also decided to recommend that the Board of Trustees consider having a bond election in November 2009 for the construction of a new high school and the renovation of the existing high school into a new junior high. 

The last decision of the committee was to not consider adding any additional members to the existing committee due to earlier deciding to cease meeting.  The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.