BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD MOVES FORWARD WITH BOND ELECTION

  

At a brief meeting at noon today (Monday) the Brenham School Board authorized a school bond election to take place May 7th.

The $153.9 million bond election will include a new junior high school for grades 6-8 and repurposing Brenham Middle School for grades Pre-K-5.  The bond project would also call for several upgrades at the high school, including an expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) building and CTE renovations, upgrades to the field house locker rooms and cafeteria and a band marching pad.  In addition, the proposal would fund districtwide accessibility and security improvements and fiber internet enhancements.  Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said a best-case scenario would have the new junior high open in August 2024.  The old junior high school would then be torn down once the students have moved to the new school.  Only the Washington County Appraisal District Office and the Brenham ISD Technical Department would be retained.

The bond should take care of the district’s expected 1.2 to 1.8 percent yearly growth over the next 10 years.  A bond planning committee was formed and met 8 times in the fall of last year.  They looked at over 60 projects needed in the district and narrowed the list down to the 13 most important.  The board decided not to adjust the bond committee’s recommendation and decided to go forward with the nearly $154 million bond election.

Brenham ISD last passed a bond in 2012 for $25.9 million to build Alton Elementary School and renovate the middle school.  Prior to that, the district passed a $10 million bond in 2004 to build Brenham Elementary School and a $23.6 million bond in 1994 to build a new high school and auditorium.  Dr. Chaplin said they would not know the term of the bonds until they are sold, but estimated they would be between 30 years and the maximum length allowed by state law, 40 years.  The issue will now go before voters in the May 7th election.