The Pilot Point ISD trustees voted against calling a bond issue for the Nov. 4 election.
Superintendent Dr. Shannon Fuller presented the bond proposition, which would have funded the construction of an elementary school.
'In December 2024, the committee voted to recommend a new elementary school at that time,' Fuller said. '… In January 2025, … a representative of the committee and kids came to the school board meeting, and at that time they made the recommendation.'
That was to wait until November to put a possible bond on the ballot.
The price would be $69.95 million for a new elementary, Fuller said.
The demographic reports have projected for years that the elementary school will be the first facility to hit capacity, as most of the style of developments within PPISD's borders draws in families with young children.
'We anticipate that by 2030, 2031, that we would need a third elementary school,' she said.
At an update meeting for the committee about the bond, some members asked about adding on a design for a new high school, which would likely cost less now than in the future because of inflation costs.
'You would pay [for the design work] out of this bond and then just the construction costs would come out of the next bond, and then ultimately earlier occupancy,' Fuller said. 'You wouldn't have to start from ground zero. You could already have design and go straight into construction.'
To include the design, Fuller said, she would recommend calling an $80 million bond election.
The board members turned to questions regarding the future high school and bonding capacity first.
Trustee Craig Bickers questioned whether the district will gain enough bonding capacity to handle a bond for the high school when the need arises.
'I think it's a short-term fix and it creates long-term problems,' Bickers said, adding, 'building an elementary.'
There is land that the developer has promised to deed over to the district, Fuller said, but she has not made the request yet so it doesn't start the five-year shot clock on an elementary school's construction.
Bickers also called the committee meeting 'a very guided meeting,' which school board President Renee Polk echoed.
'The general feeling I got was, 'Well, we've got to pick something,'' Polk said. 'Not that they don't support the need or understand that the growth is here, and we're already behind the eight ball, but they just felt like they didn't have a lot of latitude to formulate their own preferences.'
Board Secretary Mandy Kirby said the community wants a new high school more than a new elementary school.
Bickers suggested moving first grade back to the Early Childhood Center to alleviate some of the pinch already being felt at Pilot Point Elementary.
'I don't think we could do two [years], because at the rate our pre-K is growing,' Fuller said.
Bickers then suggested limiting transfers.
'Perception is reality, and most of the community feels that they didn't feel their voice was heard, that every option was looked at,' Bickers said. 'They were expecting a long-range planning to look at all the problems. … They felt like it was nothing but a bond push.'
Fuller clarified that the demographics and growth issues facing the district were discussed in the long-range planning committee meetings and helped show the challenges with the current facilities being expanded.
'On our website, there is a link that says our future,' Fuller said. 'Underneath there, it has every meeting that's documented, all the slides, and every FAQ that was submitted to us and the answers. SO, all of that is documented for the work to include all of the special requests.'
The board opted not to call the bond.
The board also rejected a proposal to switch from Mc-Creary, Veselka, Bragg & Allen, P.C., to Abernathy, Roeder, Boyd Hullett, PC., for collection of delinquent government receivables.
