Burnet Consolidated ISD trustees could call a May 1 bond election for as many as four separate propositions at their regular February board meeting, Superintendent Kevin McBurnett said after last week’s school board meeting.
District officials said it may be possible for BCISD to service any additional debt from new bond issues without raising the district’s tax rate for the life of the bond program, even when being conservative in assuming the growth of property value in the district
Board members heard an update Monday, Jan. 18, on projects identified by BCISD administration with feedback from the Facilities Community Advisory Committee, which are expected to address three main goals established by the district:
• First, the bond program is expected to allow the district to prepare for growth, especially at Bertram Elementary, where student enrollment is projected to exceed capacity by 2022.
Identified projects also would address renovations for school safety, infrastructure, and learning environments across the district.
• Second, because of rising construction costs and inflation, the longer the district waits to complete facility improvement projects, the more expensive the projects are expected to become. As interest rates are currently low, it will make it less costly to the district to finance new bond projects during the current window of opportunity.
• Third, the state’s school finance system was not designed for the M&O (maintenance and operation) budget to accommodate new construction and renovations, which is why the legislature created the I&S (Interest and Sinking) tax rate for school districts.
McBurnett said the district is facing a projected reduction in school funding from the state. Paying for allowable expenses out of bond funds protects and preserves the operating budget that is used to pay the salaries of staff and purchase supplies and materials for classrooms.
McBurnett said the projects will be categorized into four separate propositions in order to comply with a state law passed in 2019 — Senate Bill 30 — which requires school districts to offer certain projects, such as technology or athletics funding, on separate propositions.
Proposition A will cover improvements to school facilities districtwide, accommodations for growth in student enrollment and school buses. Proposition B will cover middle school and high school athletic facilities improvements.
Propostion C will be for technology improvements districtwide, including instructional technology, infrastructure, and campus security. And Proposition D is for a new multipurpose student activities center.
In 2019, voters rejected a $33 1 million bond proposal which would have covered a multitude of improvements, including roof repairs at three campuses, as well as campus additions designed to accommodate a growing student population, new buses, HVAC upgrades and a number of security initiatives.
Burnet CISD officials wanted to hold a bond election on two propositions totaling $29.66 million last May, but postponed it due to concerns about COVID-19.
McBurnett said district financial advisors are assuming a conservative five percent growth in property values in the first six years after passage of a 20-year bond program, with no additional growth projected beyond year six. They also projected an interest rate of 2.42 percent for the bond issue.
“These very conservative estimates mean that the district is able to service the debt without raising the tax rate for the life of the bond program,” McBurnett said. “If voters approve the bond, the tax rate is projected to change from $1.146 to $1.141 for the 2021-22 school year.
“Burnet CISD’s current tax rate is the second lowest among all surrounding districts, and the lowest in the district’s history.”
In other action, board members approved an order calling for a May 1 school board election. Three places will be on the ballot this year: Place 2 — currently held by Angela Moore; Place 4 — currently held by Ross Behrens; and Place 6 — currently held by Robby Robertson.
These are three-year terms. All three incumbents have filed to be on the ballot in May.
Board members also rescinded a previous resolution which gave five approved days of COVID-19 extended leave to staff as a supplement to the 10 federally-mandated days of COVID leave, and passed a new resolution which provides up to 10 days of local COVID extended leave.
The leave can be used in the following circumstances:
• quarantine/isolation orders resulting from “close contact” as determined by the county medical advisor, or
• test-confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnoses.
The 10 extended leave days can only be used once, cannot be used for any other purposes, and cannot be carried over to the next school year, McBurnett said. If a staff member has already previously used up to five days of COVID leave, that amount used will be deducted from the 10 extended days being offered by the district.
Since the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) expired December 31, 2020, the BCISD administration recognized some employees, including those new to the district, are likely to have little to no available leave, McBurnett said.
The administration also reported on operational and instructional issues related to COVID-19. There have been 71 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Burnet CISD, and 186 staff and students have been deemed close contact since the start of school.
Since the first week of December, 34 staff members have been able to return to work sooner as a result of negative results on the COVID rapid tests administered by the District. There are currently 359 remote learners, which is 11 percent of all students.
“If voters approve the bond, the tax rate is projected to change from $1.146 to $1.141 for the 2021-22 school year.”
— Keith McBurnett Superintendent, BCISD
