The McKinney ISD board of trustees met Tuesday night and approved the design schematics for projects at McKinney High School approved in the 2016 bond program.

The board also heard from Chief Financial Officer Jason Bird who brought three additional projects to the table for consideration totaling $3.75 million. District officials said these projects were not included in the original bond and would require additional funding.

"When the original bond project was put together it was based on a yearlong needs-based assessment," Bird said. "The issue is that some of these items just never percolated up until we got down to detailed design. So when we really got in deep and just specifically focused on McKinney High then it became apparent that we could potentially do some things that were not originally part of the bond package."

Those projects, which Bird said did not make the top priority list when the district put the bond together, include renovating "untouched areas" including a dance suite expansion in the auditorium, additional fine arts practice rooms and additional storage. This project is expected to cost $750,000.

Fine arts practice rooms were originally included in the $220 million 2016 bond program. Bird said the new proposed project would supply rooms in addition to what was in the bond, but said he did not have a final total number of rooms.

Another option being considered is adding air conditioning to the natatorium, which also had a voter-approved renovation project in the bond. The new air conditioning system could cost the district $1 million, according to Bird, who reminded board members that they have yet to see any actual construction estimates and that the potential cost is just a guess.

Other projects include reworking the competition gym at the school.

The project, which Bird said could cost about $2 million would include a reorientation of the current competition gym and the separation of the existing auxiliary gym.

"I did not want us to miss an opportunity to make McKinney High first-class while we are going in there anyway," Bird said. "These are legitimate options that I don't think anyone would be able to foresee until we got into the detailed design."

Bird said funding options for the projects include dipping into the maintenance and operation fund.

"Every year when we put together our budget we certainly look for ways to not have to borrow money to complete whatever project or portion of the project that's available to be covered by using M&O funds instead of bond funds," he said. "In 2016-17 we were able to move $4 million worth of projects and that became fortuitous when the stadium situation came up, so over this five-year bond cycle I would say there are going to be the same opportunities to do the same type of cost-saving measure. I just can't tell you when that will be or how much that would be."

Bird said the cost estimates for the bond projects are not exact, adding that some things could cost more than expected and some could cost less than estimated.

"As you work through the bond program we will strive to take advantage of any opportunities that could save us costs in order to make sure we fulfill those promises we made to voters when they approved the bond," he said.

The stadium saw an increase of $7 million over the summer when the district received actual cost estimates from site developers.

For more info about MISD's 2016 bond program, click here.