A Spring ISD bond steering committee met twice in June to discuss a potential bond election in November that would focus on improving facilities, technology and safety districtwide, according to minutes from the meetings.

The committee met on June 23 and 30, with the next meeting planned for July 19. Attendees of the invite-only meetings included committee members, school board members and district leaders.

The areas the committee has discussed to focus on with the potential bond are facilities, technology, and safety and security, according to the steering committee’s June 30 meeting minutes. In these categories, projects being considered for the ballot include a “centrally located multiuse performance and events space,” renovations for Spring High School, new school buses and updated security equipment for the SISD police department.

At the June 23 meeting, committee members discussed whether to pursue a bond totaling $525 million—which would come with an interest and sinking tax rate of $0.40 and no tax increase—or totaling $750 million, which would increase the district’s interest and sinking rate by $0.05 to $0.45, according to the meeting minutes.

If the SISD school board ultimately calls for a bond election, the bond would be on the ballot for voters to consider in November. Chief Operations Officer Mark Miranda said bond timelines take about five years to complete, according to the June 23 minutes.

While calculating the possible financial impact of a new bond, the assumptions used were an interest rate of 4.5% and an amortization period of 30 years for 2023-25, according to the June 23 meeting minutes.

SISD’s last bond was approved in 2016 at a total budget of $330 million and a working budget of $339.8 million, according to the June 23 minutes. The bond interest and sinking tax rate was $0.50, while the district’s proposed interest and sinking tax rate is $0.40.

To read the minutes for the committee’s bond meetings, click here.