Georgetown ISD Board of Trustees voted on Tuesday to move forward with a memorandum of understanding between the district and the YMCA in building a potential swim facility, should voters allow.
The potential swim facility is part of the GISD 2018 bond election that would allow for a $15.5 million joint swimming pool between the two entities. The facility is its own proposition from the rest of the $150.5 million bond.
Josh Schroeder, an attorney working with the GISD on the agreement who presented to the board, said the memorandum is a non-binding legal document that will act as a framework for more definitive agreements that will come later, including a construction agreement, a lease agreement and an operating agreement.
The document states the district will pay for and build the swim facilities and the YMCA would pay for and build additional portions of the facility. There will also be jointly-used portions such as the locker and weight rooms where each party will pay their proportional share, Schroeder said.
The facility will also remain the district’s property, he said.
Schroeder added that “there will be no operating costs for the district whatsoever,” and that the YMCA has committed to that agreement.
Lastly, the YMCA committed to teaching swim safety to every second grader in the district and will help in designing of the facility.
GISD first presented the idea of a possible partnership during its September meeting, where the district and the YMCA would split expenses and building responsibilities of the swim facility.
“As we move along in this process, there will be further discussion and working with (the YMCA) to get some definitive legal agreements, but I think we’ve got a good framework,” Schroeder said.
GISD will host two final community presentations on the 2018 bond to answer any questions GISD residents may have.
- Monday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. in the Purl Elementary School cafeteria *Spanish presentation
- Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Ford Elementary School cafeteria
Answers can also be found at
www.georgetownisdbond.org
Early voting begins Oct. 22. Election day is Nov. 6.
In other business:
- The board received an update on the final two projects of the 2015 bond which will be completed by the end of the year. Tippit Middle School began using its new cafeteria and kitchen Tuesday and is expected to begin using the new art rooms by Oct. 22. The new administration building will be completed by the end of October and have staff moved in and fully functioning by mid-December.
- David Rainey was named the new director of guidance and wellness for the district. Rainey is a licensed professional counselor that has been an educator for 17 years and worked as a professional school counselor for 11 years.
- The board authorized the superintendent to continue negotiating a land agreement for a future elementary school. David Biesheuvel, GISD executive director of facilities and construction, said demographic reports show that a school will be needed in the northwest quadrant of the district in the near future. Biesheuvel said the district has identified 15 acres of land to build the school, but the authorization is not an agreement to purchase the land, it is only to begin the feasibility study which will present a recommendation to the board after 120 days.
