VOTERS DEFEAT BURTON BOND ISSUE
Voters in the Burton Independent School District defeated a proposed $18 million bond issue yesterday (Tuesday).
Burton voters cast 556 votes against the bond issue, and 389 votes for it. The Burton School District was seeking voter approval to issue $18 million in bonds to fund facility improvements.
Superintendent Edna Kennedy said before the election that Burton’s steady enrollment increases made the bonds more of a necessity than a want. The bonds would have funded additional classrooms, expanded science labs, increased cafeteria space, a new band hall, new high school competition gym and a new football field with an eight lane track.
Kennedy said today that the school district will continue to move forward in a positive way:
If the bond issue would have passed, it would have required a 31 cent increase in the District’s tax rate, with the average homeowner’s taxes rising $494 in 2017.
As a long time Burtonite, I would like to respond to the comments made about the bond issue. I believe there are several reasons that the bond failed. First, the financial burden it would have placed on property owners is significant. An increase of 31% or more was unimaginable in today’s economy. We should pay off our previous debt before passing another bond issue. Second, poor planning on previous passed bonds has left the tax payers questioning the planning of administrators. An example of this is building a new gym that could have served as a competition gym but was made too small to include bleachers. A third reason is superintendents make financial decisions such as bond issues that effect land owners but not them directly. For instance, the former superintendent who proposed the previous bonds, but never lived or owned property in the district and commuted daily from outside the district. No skin off their back when they left. So the first rule I think as a taxpayer is if the superintendent wants to propose a bond issue ,they should own property in the district so they accept some of the financial burden. Second, we don’t need advice or perspective if you don’t live in our district. Like Bill Gates said, you need to clean out your own closet before you start to clean up our neighborhood. Thank You,
A little perspective would help. Burton ISD enrollment had declined to 200 students in 2005. The primary reason was the Elementary campus was located next to Highway 290, with one way in and out. The buildings consisted of the old black school built in the 1950’s and several temporary buildings.
Burton ISD passed the last bond in 2008, for $7 million. Those funds were used to construct the new elementary and gym, bus barn and Ag building. The Board used fund balance to purchase the property for the Ag Building and future Administration Building. They also built the road in front of the Admin building. That $7 million was paid in large part by oil and gas companies. The goal was to reduce the recapture by increasing attendance.
The attendance has steadily increased. By 2016, attendance has doubled to over 400 students. The recapture has decreased. The tax rate was decreased by the state from a maximum of $1.50 to a maximum of $1.04. The estimated tax rate to pay for the $7 million bond had been 17 cents. The district had a previous debt on a 1996 bond financed at 8%. By re-financing that debt and getting a lower rate than expected, the district was able to combine the debt AND increase the debt to only 13 cents. The district has maintained the tax rate for the past several years, even with the tax base decrease. Also, the district used some of its fund balance and remaining bond funds to build the new junior high (the old one was from 1964), Administration Building (replacing a temporary building from 1970’s). That also doubled the size of the cafeteria and converted the old Ag building into a district library. The last project of $1 million was funded by a 1.25% federal loan. Those funds were used to replace the remaining a/c units, plumbing and lighting with more efficient ones. The district has saved money on energy, water and the new appliances are warranted for several years. Funds were also used to make several repairs and improvements to the auditorium. This effort saved the iconic building from decline and and improved the utility as a stage and expanded seating for district events.
The district enrollment has continued to grow. This is due in large part to the community and Board providing a safe and secure environment while providing an excellent education. The district was recognized as one of the top 100 in the state just last year. The rankings were based on buildings, academics, athletics, finances and community support. Burton ISD was the top rated district in our region. We were also one of just a few smaller districts recognized.
My point is that for the past dozen years the Community and Boards, even with new members, have been diligent in staying ahead of the enrollment. They have used a variety of financial plans to keep taxpayer costs down. The district has maintained the buildings and the students have appreciated the improvements.
However, enrollment continues to grow. When the Elementary was constructed, they occupied the one wing and we had one teacher per grade. Now the Elementary has two teachers per grade level. They now occupy all the rooms in the wing that joins the Junior High. The Junior High was built with three extra classrooms. They now occupy all that wing. The High School had five extra classrooms that included three temporary buildings. All those rooms are now occupied. There is no remaining classrooms available on any campus.
The District Master Plan had been established several years ago. The only property left that the district owned was beside ate Ag Building. The Board and Administration at the time understood that the best site for new classrooms was the current football field. This would keep the new classrooms in close proximity to the cafeteria, library and utilize the current sidewalks. The electricity and plumbing had been built with the capacity to handle new construction and increase efficiency.
The Board understood that using the football field as a buiding site. The Board had deliberately planned to address the need for upgraded athletic facilities until all academic and infrastructure could be addressed. Thus, building new classrooms would necessitate new athletic facilities. This would also allow the construction to be phased. Work on the new athletic facilities could be completed before starting on classrooms.
At the same time, the remaining drainage issues and parking could addressed. At present water coming off the parking lots is steered into a concrete channel that goes within two feet of the Cafeteria building. To address it appropriately would require going through the current football field at about the thirty yard line with a six foot wide trench, dropping in a wide drain pipe that would come out on the other side and empty into the old railroad right of way. It was a costly project and would have required repair to the irriagation on the foil and all the wiring to football lights and scoreboard. The Board decided to include that project in the next bid on the classroom and parking.
So, as you can see, one thing leads to another. Enrollment is increasing. Our current cafeteria does not have enough room for freezer space and preparation area. Our students start at 10:20 to get lunch and end at 1 pm. Because we do not have enough seating. To expand the cafeteria, we will lose two classrooms. All of our classrooms are used, so we need at least two new ones to stay even, plus some additional rooms for growth. Thus we need to build. The best site for new classrooms is the current football field. At the same time, build a new band hall to house our band and give them a home. We can address draining issues at the same time. We can use the current football field lighting for parking lights. The stands can be used at the new field or ball fields. The new football field can include attack. The track would support our state champion track teams. But they could also include lighting at night to allow citizens to walk and exercise on the track. The new athletic facilities could include coaches offices, weight room and showers. The old weight room could be used to store the track equipment in off season. It could include room for tractors and equipment for district equipment. New parking could be put down with drainage. It could include a road from the Ag shop to the bus barn. This would allow buses and everyone to drive a loop around the facilities. Move the temporary buildings to sites around the periphery to be utilized as appropriate. Now hopefully you can understand the reason for the cost, complexity and need for the bond.
Doesn’t matter now, it did not pass!!
They will try again. The enrollment continues to increase. To deny the need for added classrooms, a band hall, a track and gym is irresponsible.
They are out of classroom space. The only other option is to bring in “temporary buildings. That idea is what led to the old Elementary consisting of one sixty year old classroom building, a fifty year old gym and cafeteria and at least seven “temporary” buildings that were thirty years old. The building had cracks in the walls that you could see daylight through. The windows cracked because the foundation cracked. The “Temporary” buildings were poorly insulated and expensive to maintain. The kids were exposed to the weather when leaving class. The only place to put them would be the parking lot. So you lose parking. Plus, those students would be on the wrong side of bus and student pickup.
The current lunchroom seats about 100 kids. That means they start lunch at 10:30 and end at 1 pm to allow adequate seating. The HS seating is packed on days that all the students eat in the cafeteria. The cafeteria has to cook hot meals throughout the lunch period due to there being one stove with five burners. There is limited frig and freezer space because of small area. That means they cannot prep and store cold things for the that day or the next day, because all the refrigerators are full of vegetables, milk, cheese and other food prep items. The freezers hold enough for three days prep. So they are constantly receiving deliveries. That pulls staff from food prep. To expand seating and food storage and prep area would take two classrooms. They cannot do the cafeteria expansion until they can replace those two classrooms just to stay even.
The Band Hall was not addressed in the past bond election in an effort to hold costs down. They practice in a temporary building. There is limited room for their equipment, music stands and storage of uniforms and music. They have not had a band hall since the fire in 1996.
The current gym was built sixty years ago. It is shared by JH boys and girls PE, JH boys and girls Athletics, HS boys and girls PE and HS boys and girls athletics. Anyone that has attended a basketball or volleyball game has seen people standing along the walls and halls trying to watch the action. The locker rooms have been expanded on one side. With additional enrollment has increased participation on teams. In some cases, kids share lockers. During basketball season, after-school practice has to be scheduled with one team using the gym after school and another practice after that. The later practice requires kids to leave and then come back. Those kids get home later.
The athletic program has contributed much to the community in representing us with excellence, character and brought much good press to our district. Our teams have many trips deep into the playoffs in softball,baseball, volleyball, football, boys and girls track and other sports. Our track team won a second championship. The track team travels to Somerville several days a week to practice field events, hurdles and relays. They spend an hour on those days just riding the bus! During offseason, the kids run around town to build endurance. You probably have seen them running the streets around town? It would be a lot safer with a track. Even the taxpayers would benefit from a track to do their walking and exercise.
For these reasons and more, they will be back. This past loss was not a mandate. With better effort on the part of the superintendent at educating the taxpayers of the Need for the bond, on what it will used for, with an architect’s conceptual drawing of all the construction, pointing out that senior citizens tax rates would not be affected, and encouraging parents of children in school to get more information this could be turned around.
I was excited to see that Burton ISD was working to move forward on a bond that would improve schools facilities and athletic competition fields. As a former alum, it is always a joy to watch and see the place where you grew up continue to grow and expand for the good of the community and school district. Yes, this bond did not pass this time, but I wish some people would reconsider if the opportunity presents itself again. The renovating and improvements that the school is looking to make is something that truly needs to be done, I get and understand that in the past couple of years there has been a new elementary and renovating of the middle school and this has caused an increase in tax rates. Burton’s enrollment has increased over the past couple of years and I think that, that speaks to the community, teachers/coaches, and school district, on the influence (pride) that has been fused and injected into the student body. When you are growing, your mindset has to change and be open to the fact that you can’t continue to operate at a level in which you have in previous years. Anytime there is change or upgrades needed in life, the speculation of “doubt” can creep up into our minds and cause us to not take that step forward that’s needed to improve those things around us. I graduated from that school and I hold my head up with pride knowing that I graduated with 34 people in my class and walked onto a college campus and into adult hood with no fear, that I could absolutely compete with anyone in this world in anything. If we want to continue to instill that attitude in our graduates that walk across that stage in Burton, then we need to not be afraid of taking the steps necessary to improve those facilities. How can we tell our students to be bold, dream big, and compete fearlessly, when we are hesitant on voting for something that will allow them to feel the pride that has always been apart of Panther Country?
I am a tax payer for the Burton ISD. I am so glad it did not pass because I could not afford for my taxes to increase. When you get a raise at work it is not 31 precent. I think the school does need in provements but they just did that with building a new elementary school a few years ago. Maybe they should us there money more wisely and not a huge increase all at one time. I think the track team won state and did not have a track. Thanks to all who voted against it. The school board should wake up and not ask for 18 million dollars.