Published: November 03, 2009 10:20 pm      

Rio Vista school bond passes

Keene voters approve tax swap

Kevin Sellers’ last hurrah as Keene superintendent resulted in celebration Tuesday night. So did Tim Wright’s first hurrah as Rio Vista superintendent.

By a 194-160 margin, Rio Vista voters approved a $9.95 million bond for several construction projects, including science labs and an enlarged band hall.

Keene voters approved a complicated tax swap by a margin of 121-63.

Early voting told the tale at Rio Vista, where it was 51-13 in favor of the bond.

Rio Vista school board president David Brunson was surprised with the final margin but was understanding of the voters.

“Our hands are tied by all the rules and regulations when we can’t express ourselves as we’d like to,” he said. “We were told straight up by people who do bond elections what we could and couldn’t say to voters. We couldn’t tell them how to vote. So the election was hard to approach. But I know the bond is the right thing, and when the people see all the good things that come from it, they’ll see it’s for a good cause. That’s exciting.”

The bond vote was crucial to the operation of the school district. The state of Texas has mandated four-year curriculum in math and science, and Rio Vista lacks science lab facilities.

Bond money will be used to build the labs, additional classrooms, the band hall, vocational ag technology and transportation.



Tax shuffle

Keene voters, by saying yes, are allowing the school district to trade 13 cents from the interest and sinking portion of the tax rate for 13 cents on the maintenance and operation side. That will take the I&S to 21 cents and M&O to $1.17.

M&O pennies are worth more than I&S pennies, partly because M&O can be used to service the debt.

Taking the M&O from $1.04 to $1.17 will mean $776,000 extra to the district.

Regardless of the vote, the tax rate was going to be $1.3823 per $100 valuation.

Keene ISD hedged its bets for the election by asking for a $1.51 total in case voters denied the tax swap. Keene trustees had gone on the record as saying that if the voters said yes to the tax swap, they would immediately drop 13 cents from the total $1.51.

“We received some very positive feedback as we got the facts out to the community,” said Keene Superintendent Kevin Sellers. “Based on the outcome of the vote, I would say the community trusts the school district to do the right thing. I guarantee you the school district will. When [trustees] meet to canvass the vote, we will make sure we follow through with the promise to reduce the I&S.”

Sellers said he considers the election his last hurrah at Keene as he transitions to his new job as assistant superintendent in Joshua ISD.

“I think the financial situation of the district is something I can feel good about,” he said. “I’m wearing a big smile.”

Three Keene school board members — Sheri Hadley, Mary Ann Hodges and Lanette Modine — were up for re-election. Hadley, Hodges, Modine, Ryan Bailey and Geraldine Montgomery ran for four available spots.

Hodges was first with 142, Hadley second with 134, Montgomery third with 121 and Bailey fourth with 106. Modine had 80.