On Feb. 12, an advisory committee recommended that San Marcos CISD call an $80 million bond election in May to build a new football stadium and prekindergarten campus, among other facilities projects.

The 19-member San Marcos CISD citizens advisory committee also asked the board of trustees to use about $18.6 million in reserve funds to complete the proposed projects at a total cost of about $98.6 million.

"We want a bond package that will pass," committee co-Chairman Mark Newton said. "We want our community to pass a bond for everything we talked about. It's not a Cadillac version. It is needed for our students, it is needed for our community, but there is that reality of what will pass and what we can afford."

The committee proposed 13 projects, all of which were previously identified by an architect hired by the district:

  • $26.6 million: New football stadium
  • $12.7 million: New prekindergarten center for 600 students at the old site of Bowie Elementary School
  • $11.4 million: New natatorium (swim center)
  • $9.6 million: New student activity complex
  • $8.3 million: Renovations and additions to Miller Middle School
  • $6.1 million: Renovations and additions to Goodnight Middle School
  • $6.1 million: New Phoenix Learning Center
  • $5.5 million: Renovations to Hernandez Elementary School
  • $4.6 million: Renovations and additions to Mendez Elementary School
  • $3.5 million: New central services center
  • $1.7 million: Renovations to De Zavala Elementary School
  • $1.7 million: Renovations to districtwide security
  • $820,000: Addition to support services

Newton said committee members were divided over whether the district should build a natatorium for $11.4 million or whether a smaller facility should be constructed for less money.

Superintendent Mark Eads told board members that some of San Marcos CISD's campuses were not in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the Texas Education Agency had instructed the district to bring the facilities up to compliance.

Several board members said they supported construction of a prekindergarten campus. After hearing the presentation, board members requested a workshop on Feb. 18 for a more detailed assessment of the district's needs.

The workshop is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the district's central office at 501 S. LBJ Drive in San Marcos.

"I don't know where these numbers came from," board member Judy Allen said. "I'm not real comfortable making a decision for an $80 million bond. I need to see more than what we're seeing."

In order to hold the bond election in May, board members would have to call for it by March 1, Eads said.