Tidehaven ISD
District Program and Facilities Advisory
Planning Committee Meeting
October 28, 2008

Summary of Meeting 

The Program and Facilities Advisory Planning Committee Meeting began at 6:50 with Dr. Suzanne Wesson welcoming the members and guests.  There were 18 people present. 

Dr. Wesson gave a brief update concerning the action(s) taken by the Board of Trustees involving the Committees recommendation to hire LAN Walton as a project manager.  LAN Walton has submitted a price of $29100 for the pre-bond consultation. Due to the initial price containing items the committee has already performed or had other firms carry out, Dr. Wesson has requested a second proposal from LAN Walton.

Dr. Wesson discussed with the committee the legal requirement to seek bond counsel, should the Board of Trustees decide to pursue a bond election.  Dr. Wesson has been attending various construction workshops, contacting schools who have recently had a bond election and those who have had, or are having, new construction in their district, and visiting some of these districts.  Dr. Wesson invited any committee members who would like to tour recently constructed school in our area to contact her.  She shared with the committee that she will be visiting the new elementary campus in Edna on October 29, 2008, and invited anyone interested to contact her. 

Hiring a project manager is an important consideration when discussing a possible bond election and Dr. Wesson may be presenting a proposal to the Board of Trustees to hire LAN Walton for this responsibility.  The Board will also, in the future, consider the issue of bond counsel, as this is required by law. 

The committee was presented a brief timeline estimate, should a bond election be considered.  Dr. Wesson suggested to the committee that the development of sub-committee and chairpersons be considered in December.  A public relations committee and a political action committee are among the possibilities.  School board members and school employees are not allowed to serve as chairpersons.  In addition, once a bond is called, school district employees and board members may only discuss the facts involved and are not allowed to offer opinions. 

There were several areas that the committee will need to research and develop in the coming weeks, involving the possible location of a new facility/facilities, the size of the new facility/facilities, classroom size and need, technology needs, the number of gymnasiums, the possible use of cafetoriums (cafeteria and meeting areas combined), meeting rooms, drop off and pick up of students as well as delivery of merchandise, and the relationship of the new facility in regards to the current facilities (i.e. the practice field, football field, the administration office) and their role in any new development.  The committee and school board will also need to carefully consider the increasing cost of construction. 

The option chosen by the Board of Trustees (when presented several months ago by the committee members) to pursue the possible construction of a new high school, renovation of the current high school into a new junior high and the construction of one (combined) elementary campus has caused a great deal of concern among employees and members of the community concerning job loss.  The committee has been assured by the administration that job loss will not happen due to this possible construction, the possibility of absorption of positions as employees retire or leave the district could happen.  The committee members will work diligently to insure that employees and community members understand this.  Another goal the committee has set is to preserve some of the historical aspects of all the school and incorporate them into any new facility that may be built. 

In closing the meeting, Dr. Wesson discussed the procedure for purchasing land, explaining that this procedure starts in a closed session of a board meeting.  With that in mind, she said the Board will be considering possible land acquisition at the November 3^rd Board Meeting.  Several committee members expressed their concern over needing to know what is being considered early in the process, as many factors of the land could impact the timeline for construction. Before adjourning, the committee members decided to meet again on December 9, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. in the High School LRC.