The Beaumont School District may not be
growing as fast as previously estimated... leaving some to wonder whether a bond
proposal should be scaled back.
For the first time in four months... a
community advisory bond committee met to review a $443 million dollar proposal
they left incomplete in March.
The proposal's price tag is one of the
few things that remained untouched over the past four months, but plans for
South Park Middle School, a possible lack of future growth and how to package
the proposal for trustees are all new issues the committee will have to think
about over the next week.
Consultants told the district more about the
stability of the structure of South Park Middle School and again recommended to
replace the school rather than renovate it. Another report presented to the
committee shows less future growth in the district than previously planned for
when piecing together the bond proposal... raising questions as to whether the
plans in place would be over building.
Several members then started
expressing concern about presenting the proposal as a 'whole' to voters rather
than presenting it in 'pieces'. But others say the committee has always planned
to propose a full package ... and to do otherwise could prevent the projects
from being completed on time. Still many members say they're optimistic about
having plans ready in time for November.
Consultant to the committee,
Arnold Oates said, "There's a lot of new things happening in Beaumont and it's
exciting and what Beaumont needs to do is step up as a district and provide the
housing and the schools that will accommodate moving to Beaumont."
Committee member Paul Jones said, "I think the big issue here to me is
getting out into the community and educating the community about what the needs
area and what this committee is recommending."
The community advisory
bond committee will meet again next Monday, hoping to finalize a bond proposal
for trustees to consider putting on the November
ballot.