Board Narrows Improvements List
At a special meeting Feb. 20, the GCISD board narrowed the list of capital improvements it plans for the $12 million it hopes to raise in bond money. Discussions at the meeting were thorough and wide-ranging, but the board managed to come to a consensus. Working from construction company estimates, which it often changed, the board selected the items it and the citizens bond committee considered most important.
At the top of everyone’s list were electrical and sewer updates, followed by lighting and a new sound system for the auditorium. Other priority items (not necessarily in this order) were: improved nursing facilities, K–2 restrooms, upgrading all classrooms, providing a science lab for the elementary school, replacing high school lockers with larger ones, overhead doors for the bus barn and a bus wash bay, concrete slabs for basketball and a tennis rebound wall for upper elementary outdoor play, re-keying all door locks to a master key and replacing doors as needed. Other items discussed, but not considered current top priorities were: new floor covering in the cafeteria, upgrades in corridors, upgrades in offices and a new intercom/telephone system.
The board is including a new gymnasium, estimated at $7 million in their plans, citing the cost of essential repair and renovation to the present basement sewage system and dressing rooms (estimated at more than $1 million) and the need for more gym space.. The plan for the current gym is that all basement level plumbing will be capped and no longer used, and the gym will be a practice gym, which can also be used for tournaments. Basement-level space would be used for storage and storm safety space. The planned new gym would be built west of the existing one and connected to it. The board discussed the need for quality in a new gym, with several agreeing that the current facility is better than some new ones in the area. They decided that relocating the football field and/or replacing or resurfacing the track were not priority items at this time
The board plans to replace two of the older school houses with new ones at an estimated cost of $300,000. The board disagreed about whether the school needs any new houses at all, and if so, how many. Some of the board felt that better housing would attract more applicants for teaching vacancies, while others said it is salaries, not houses, that attract quality teachers, and some said more and more teachers have their own homes here. Replacing two now was a compromise. The plan is for two, three-bedroom, two bath ready-build houses. Estimated costs include demolition of two existing houses.
The board also discussed the need for busses, lawn care equipment, and tools and safety equipment for the vocational shop.