How we got here
Tomball ISD voters approved a $429.1 million bond package during the May 3 election. The funds will go to projects such as school and technology upgrades, land and site development for a new elementary school and a new Tomball Intermediate School campus, according to a TISD presentation on the 2025 bond projects.
Current situation
In a 6-1 vote, TISD school board members approved the recommendation to select Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam as the construction and project manager for 2025 bond projects, allowing the district’s chief financial officer to move forward with negotiations on pricing.
School board member Jennifer Kratky voted against the recommendation. Kratky said she made her decision solely based on the company’s financial support of a political action committee.
“My vote is based on one thing only and that is that Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam gave $10,000 to a political action committee that campaigned for passage of this bond that will ultimately benefit their company financially,” Kratky said. “While I understand this is perfectly legal to do, I personally find it distasteful.”
Another viewpoint
TISD school board Assistant Secretary Tina Salem said she voted in favor of the recommendation based on LAN’s “proven track record” with TISD.
“I did not realize that LAN had contributed to the bond [political action committee], but that is not something that I look at to make my decision when we are considering companies because that's separate from doing business for the district because in my mind ... they're not giving to the [political action committee] that they're expecting to get a job,” Salem said.
More details
In a 6-1 vote, TISD school board members also approved the selection of Huckabee Architects for the new Tomball Intermediate School, allowing the superintendent to finalize contract negotiations using 2025 bond funds.
Kratky also voted against this selection.
“My understanding is that Huckabee Architects did donate $5,000 to the [2025 bond] political action committee and that is what my vote is based on and for no other reason,” Kratky said in the June 3 meeting.
School board President Michael Pratt and board Secretary John McStravick voted in favor of the selection, citing past successful work the company has done with the school district.
“I fundamentally believe Huckabee understands Tomball ISD and what we're trying to do at that intermediate format,” Pratt said.
What’s next
According to previous reporting by Community Impact, CFO Zach Boles said the final timeline for bond projects is still in the works, but for now, the work is expected to last through 2030.
