Texarkana Independent School District's Board of Trustees took the next step Tuesday on renovating the Aquatic Center at Texarkana College by approving the issuance of time warrants and maintenance tax notes for the estimated $2 million project.
The maintenance tax notes will be for approximately $78,000 per year, and the time warrants will be for approximately $92,000 per year. TISD and TC both recently approved a 30-year lease agreement for the facility, which the district uses for the TigerSharks Swim Program. Renovations to the pool, roof and dressing rooms are expected to begin in February after the state swim meet and to be complete by August 2019 if the project does not encounter any snags, according to Superintendent Paul Norton. The district will take control of the pool Jan. 1.
In other business, the board approved the 2018 tax roll from the Bowie County Central Appraisal District. The total taxable rate of $2.063 billion is $57 million higher than the 2017-18 appraisal value.
Trustees also approved a lease agreement with TC for use of half of the Physical Science building, which houses the district's OPTIONS Academic Alternative High School. The agreement is for $1 per year and the district will give the college about $9,000 in advertising district-wide, including ads on the electronic scoreboard at Tiger Stadium.
Board members also approved vehicle and bus maintenance, repair and parts service contracts to ARTEX Truck Center, Todd Shores' McLarty Ford, Gateway Tire and Pratts Truck Service. In addition, they approved a memorandum of understanding with Community Services of Northeast Texas Inc. Head Start for the pre-K program at Paul Laurence Dunbar Early Education Center.
Also approved was the second process of the district becoming approved as a District of Innovation through December 2024. The Texas Education Agency gave approval for TISD to have the distinction, which gives districts more local control, similar to that of state charter schools, through 2022. The second process extends the length of the designation. The DOI concept was passed by the 84th session of the Texas Legislature in 2015.
The board also voted to change the November meeting to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 27. It will be held at the TISD Administration Building, 4241 Summerhill Road, Texarkana, Texas.