Weatherford ISD calls for $107.32M bond election

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Contact assistant editor Sally Sexton
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Projected Bond Costs

Weatherford ISD provided projected cost impacts for the proposed $107.32 million bond package on property owners within the district:

Proposed Tax Rate
$1.555 per $100 taxable valuation ($1.17 maintenance & operations and $0.385 interest & sinking)

Tax impact on WISD homeowners*
$100,000 property value
($131.75 annually or $10.98 monthly)

WISD average value
• $130,000 property value
($178.25 annually or $14.85 monthly)
• $150,000 property value
($209.25 annually or $17.44 monthly)
• $200,000 property value
($286.75 annually or $23.90 monthly)
• $250,000 property value
($364.25 annually or $30.35 monthly)
• $300,000 property value
($441.75 annually or $36.81 monthly)
* – Less $15,000 homestead exemption

Over 65 Exemption
Residents 65 years of age or older who file for an over 65 homestead exemption will have their taxes frozen, and their homestead taxes will not be affected by the bond election if it passes.

– Source WISD

WISD Bond Project List

Weatherford ISD’s $107.32 million bond election, if approved, would pay for the following projects, according to the district:

Capital improvements
• Security, technology and accessibility upgrades.
• Construct additional cafeteria space (WHS, WMS).
• Relocate and expand agriculture barn facilities.

Athletic upgrades to self-contained campus including:
• Gymnasium for ninth grade.
• Additional locker rooms in Outback.
• Wrestling.
• Lighted synthetic turf field.
• Construct competition and practice baseball and softball facilities with restrooms, concession stand and parking.
• Construct an all-weather eight-lane track with synthetic turf field, lights, field events.
• Construct road on WHS property connecting B.B. Fielder to main campus area.

Safety and security
• Secured vestibules at all campuses.
• Cameras/surveillance equipment.
• Building access control system.
• Fencing/site improvements (i.e., security lighting, building access control system).
• ADA accessibility upgrades.
• Fire panel replacements.

Capacity
• Three-of-seven elementary campuses currently over 100 percent capacity.
• Bond would address capacity issues through 2023.
• Add ninth grade wing to WHS campus (78,000 square feet).
• Ninth Grade Center becomes a middle school.
• Hall and Tison become grades five and six campuses.
• Elementary schools become pre-K through fourth grade campuses.
• Construct a Career Technology Education Center (66,425 square feet).

Technology
• Reconstructed and enhanced infrastructure
• Address electrical issues when adding multiple outlets in older classrooms
All classrooms will receive:
• Digital interactive whiteboard (including digital projection unit).
• Teacher workstation.
• Wireless Internet access point.

Related Photos

The chart above shows how Weatherford ISD proposes to reconfigure its 11 campuses if the May 11 bond proposal passes. Courtesy WISD

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February 24, 2013

Weatherford ISD calls for $107.32M bond election

Voters in May 11 election to vote up or down improvements for security, technologies and facilities.

Anonymous Weatherford Democrat The Weatherford Democrat Sun Feb 24, 2013, 07:13 AM CST

By SALLY SEXTON

Looking to add better campus security and manage growth by adding a new wing to the high school and reconfiguring campuses, Weatherford ISD board members Friday unanimously approved calling for a May 11 bond election.

If passed, the $107,320,000 bond will go toward improving security, capital improvements, expanding technology and new construction projects. All of the proposed capital improvements are included under one proposition – meaning all the items will succeed or fail.

“This is an exciting time for the kids, for the community, for everyone involved with Weatherford ISD,” WISD superintendent Jeffrey Hanks said. “This was also a courageous thing for the board to do.”

Over the last several months, the district sought input from various community members, who formed the Citizens Facility Committee, to assess the needs of the district.

After giving feedback and different alternatives to address the concerns, several scenarios were presented to the board.

With the proposed bond, several security measures, including more secure entrance ways, exterior lighting, security cameras and fencing, would be constructed on the district’s 11 campuses.

To accommodate student population growth, the bond would allow for grade levels to be distributed among the campuses differently — with ninth through 12th grades at the high school, grades seven and eight at one middle school, grades 5 and 6 at Hall and Tison and students from grades pre-K through four at Austin, Wright, Curtis, Ikard, Crockett, Martin and Seguin elementaries.

“It is proposed that the elementary campuses would become pre-K to fourth-grade campuses, moving grades five and six to two intermediate campuses, having a common middle school for all seventh and eighth graders and a comprehensive high school for grades nine to 12,” Hanks said. “This alignment should accommodate the district’s projected growth and student population for at least the next decade.”

Currently, almost half of the district’s elementary schools are over 100 percent capacity. In order to provide adequate room for incoming ninth-graders at the high school, the bond would cover the cost of adding on a new wing to the campus on Bethel Road.

The proposed bond also addresses technology updates and would purchase equipment to bring classrooms up to date, including digital projection units, teacher workstations and tablets and wireless Internet.

Updates to athletic facilities, as well as new competition and practice baseball and softball fields, would also be covered.

According to estimates received by the board, the bond, if passed, would cost the taxpayer $131.75 annually, or $10.98 per month, based on a $100,000 property value.

“The district and the community have grown significantly since the last bond election,” Hanks said, referring to a bond proposal in 1999. “This proposed bond would address many issues in the four critical areas.”

Early voting begins April 29.