Renovation, replacement key themes of proposed HISD bond

A citizen committee has been meeting for the last couple of months to come up with ideas and weigh the possibilities of scheduling a bond election for the Hondo Independent School District on the designated May election date.

Approximately 20 committee members have met seven times to discuss the HISD’s needs for the near future. 

Many of the items discussed in the committee meetings are upgrades, renovations and replacements, rather than new construction.

If a bond election is to take place, the HISD Board of Trustees would have to call for the May election during the month of February.

Among the projects suggested by the committee – which spent meeting time touring each of the four campuses – are:

Hondo High School

• replacement of the decking in front of the cafeteria;

• construction of a front security vestibule;

• renovation of the high school’s culinary arts department;

• replacement of the windows on south wing of the school;

• restroom renovation;

• adding or replacing lighting in the parking lots outside Barry Field.

• repaving and resealing all HHS parking lots.

Meyer Elementary School

• expansion of the cafeteria kitchen;

• addition of restrooms in the cafeteria;

• expansion of eating areas in the cafeteria;

• new cafeteria lighting;

• addition of gutters on walkways;

• restroom renovation;

• adding visitor parking;

• grading and repaving existing parking lots.

Woolls Intermediate School

• construction of a front security vestibule;

• addition of HVAC in the school’s main hallway;

• restroom renovation;

• grading and repaving parking lots.

McDowell Middle School

• boys’ and girls’ locker room renovations;

• renovation and expansion of restrooms;

• addition of restrooms in the 300 wing;

• grading, repaving and expansion of parking lots;

• addition of lighting in the courtyard.

District wide

• replace HVAC units 14 years and older;

• upgrade HVAC controls;

• renovate garage on the former TxDOT property, which was recently purchased by the HISD;

• add portable lighting to the above former TxDOT lot;

• district-wide intercom and fire alarm.

Athletics

• renovation of home side restrooms at Barry Field;

• demolition and replacement of restrooms on visitor side of Barry Field;

• build concession stand and restrooms at Bridges Field (baseball);

• renovate dugouts and stands at Bridges Field and Martin Field (softball).

Any proposals which are listed under the “athletics” heading which go on to appear on the ballot, would need to be listed separately from those listed under the individual campuses.

The bond committee held another meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 28 to go over what it will recommend to the school board. If the board then votes to hold a bond election, it would be held on the uniform election date of Saturday, May 2.

The total proposed amount of a bond election would be determined by the board of trustees at a February meeting.