Lamar Consolidated ISD’s board of trustees adopted an order canvassing the votes from the Nov. 7 election at a regularly scheduled meeting Thursday, Nov. 16.

Fort Bend County voters approved the district’s $445 million bond referendum with 61 percent, or 4,721 residents, in favor of the referendum.

The bond will help fund improvements to all existing campuses and build five new schools to relieve overcrowding, including three elementary schools, one junior high school and one high school.

Average homeowners in the area with a house worth $231,000 will see an estimated tax increase of $98 annually after all bonds are issued.

Other items passed at the meeting include:

2017-2018 District Improvement Plan and Campus Improvement Plans report
Representatives from McConnell and Jones presented findings and recommendations from a district-wide department process audit that reviewed LCISD’s overall organizational governance, risk management and management controls. The report highlighted the district’s success in various departments and made recommendations for areas of improvement. Some of the recommended improvements include updating the district’s facilities plan, which has not been updated since 2002, and hiring a deputy superintendent. Trustees will hold a workshop to review the report in more detail before it is formally accepted a later meeting.

2018-2019 Fort Bend Central Appraisal District Board of Directors vote
Trustees showed support for William F. Schwer for a position on the Fort Bend Central Appraisal District's 2018-2019 board of directors with 569 votes. There are currently eight candidates running for the five board positions. Schwer was nominated by LCISD and has been an active community member and Fort Bend County resident by serving on various boards and committees. The district must submit a signed copy of the resolution and ballot of votes to the FBCAD chief appraiser by Dec. 15.

Holdsworth Center update
School board officials provided an update to trustees on the district’s involvement with the Holdsworth Center’s leadership program. Officials traveled to Canada to visit Durham, Toronto and York school districts and received leadership development training that focused on equality and diversity principles.