After hammering out specifics of a potential bond offering, trustees are moving forward with a goal of a May 2023 election for a package over $1 billion.

Co-chairmen of the Citizen Bond Steering Committee Bryan Robinson and Rich Aubin presented recommendations to the Garland ISD Board of Trustees during a Tuesday, Jan. 10, workshop meeting. The committee was charged with “developing a school facility referendum recommendation that is fiscally sound” to the board and community and produced a $1.2 billion package in three propositions.

“You have a lot of support from the community members and I think you’ll have a lot of support from the community once they find out about what’s being presented,” Robinson said.

In coming up with the plan, Robinson said the committee broke into 10 separate groups and received facility assessments, an overview of school finance, facility tours and examined what past bonds covered. For many of the committee members, it was eye-opening to tour different facilities.

“As a student and a parent, you spend a lot of your time going to one school and you don’t get to see everything,” Robinson said. “We got to see a lot more things than we normally would.”

He shared an anecdote about transportation staff having to use the bathroom at Williams Stadium and the disparities between Freeman Elementary and newer elementary schools.

In the recommendations provided, two-thirds of the 10 tables recommended approval for the items, said Aubin. Because the last bond was in 2014 at the cost of $455.5 million, there were several needs as evidenced by the initial $1.9 billion in projects presented to the committee.

“There are so many needs in this district and we had to make some hard choices,” Aubin said. “We’re not going to leave any of these projects behind and we may have to come back.”

A main focus was security and safety at schools, he added, all of which is addressed in Proposition A along with other necessary facility upgrades. All schools will receive upgrades to the plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.

The proposition also includes provisions to fund three additional elementary schools, two ADA-accessible playgrounds at all elementary campuses and a new transportation center.

“It’s a big deal and I can tell you that elementary playgrounds are so important,” Aubin said. “[It makes] sure that every kid in the district has the ability to play.”

For the full story, see the Jan. 19 issue of The Sachse News.