MFISD considers bonds for projects; voters could have say in spring

The Marble Falls Independent School District is looking at $155 million in bonds that could potentially fund up to 20 improvement projects. According to MFISD leaders, the proposed bonds would not increase the district’s tax rate and could go to voters in the spring.

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The MFISD Community Advisory Committee began meeting in September to determine district needs and potential projects. After months of work, they presented their findings and a recommendation to the MFISD Board of Trustees on Dec. 16. The committee is made up of appointed volunteers from the Marble Falls community.

“We feel like we have covered so many areas that are in need of improvement or enhancement in the district,” committee Chair Lee Ann Johnson told the board. “It’s important to remember with this bond recommendation that there will be no tax increase.”

The bonds are unrelated to MFISD’s proposed tax rate increase, which failed in the Nov. 5 general election. The increase would have gone toward the district’s rising day-to-day operation costs. The bonds would be exclusively for paying back debt on capital improvement projects.

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Johnson and committee Vice Chair Anna Womack presented a recommendation for $155 million in bonds that would fund 20 measures split among three propositions on the spring ballot, if the board approves that recommendation.

The projects range in scope from maintenance on district equipment and new playgrounds at elementary schools to large upgrades for high school sports facilities and the acquisition of new technologies for education.

No action was taken during the Dec. 16 meeting, but the board plans to hash out the potential bonds and projects during a Jan. 13 workshop. Trustees will have to solidify and approve their own version of the bonds and projects by Feb. 14 to get the propositions on the spring ballot.

If voters approve the bonds, MFISD would pay for them using its current Interest and Sinking (I&S) tax rate of 21.53 cents per $100 property valuation. 

While the district’s overall tax rate is 88.78 cents per $100 property valuation, that is a combination of the Maintenance and Operations rate of 67.25 cents and the I&S rate of 21.53 cents. The I&S rate can only be used to pay back debt on capital projects, like those proposed by the committee, and the M&O rate can only be used for maintenance and operations, like paying staff salaries and day-to-day costs.

According to the Community Advisory Committee’s research, MFISD can bear up to $208 million in bonds. The $155 million that was recommended would not require the district to increase the I&S rate.

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It is ultimately up to the MFISD Board of Trustees to determine what the bond proposals and projects will be and what voters will see in the spring.

“I got to see the front end and the back end of the committee process, and I feel really good about the work you all did,” board President Kevin Naumann told Johnson and Womack after their presentation. “I feel really good about taking this to the community because of the hard work you all have done.”

The committee’s recommendation was broken down into propositions A, B, and C and include 20 different projects:

Proposition A

General Facilities and Planning—$124 million

• Buses and maintenance
• Career Technical Education expansion
• Deferred maintenance
• Digital marquees
• Elementary playgrounds
• Energy efficiency
• Marble Falls High School band hall renovation
• Highland Lakes Elementary School circulation
• Programmatic enhancements and curricular support
• Renovation of auditorium
• Safety and security
• Spicewood Elementary School circulation

Proposition B

Staff 1 to 1 Devices—$2.2 million

Proposition C

Athletics—$28.55 million

• Baseball/softball artificial turf add-ons
• Marble Falls High School multi-purpose facility
• Max Copeland Gym basketball locker room expansion
• Mustand Stadium scoreboard
• Mustand Stadium turf replacement
• New Marble Falls High School weight room

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