North East ISD’s Citizens' Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC) met for its annual Field Tour on Saturday, Oct. 20. CBAC is a group of 25 community members who meet monthly to provide feedback on bond projects under construction throughout the District. Money to fund bond projects comes after the community votes in an election to approve the bond. Bond money can only be used for NEISD construction and facility improvements. Bond funds cannot be used for day-to-day operating expenses, including salaries.
The District's Board of Trustees voted to form CBAC during the course of the NEISD 2003 bond election. The committee receives monthly reports on the status and implementation of bond projects, including those passed in May 2007, November 2011, and November 2015. CBAC has a hand in overseeing the scope, cost, and timeline of each bond-funded construction project.
“Our basic role is to ensure that the District is building what they say they are going to build, building it in a timely manner and staying within budget,” said CBAC member Dale Patenaude. “Those are our basic goals, and I think it works out very well for the District because they have to present a status update of all of this stuff every month to us. It’s a checks and balances system really.”
Patenaude has been an active member of CBAC since it originated 15 years ago, during the 2003 bond election. The tour is an opportunity for committee members to see some of the progress up close.
The first stop on the annual bus tour was at Colonial Hills Elementary School. Funding from the 2015 bond provided a new secure entry vestibule at the school’s entrance, adding an extra layer of security for students and visitors. Students at Colonial Hills are also enjoying two serving lines in the cafeteria, and a completely renovated and expanded kitchen facility.
The stop at Jackson Middle School highlighted its new football field, all-weather track and outdoor basketball courts. This 2015 bond addition also included new irrigation and drainage systems for the football field, new bleachers and a new field house complete with restrooms and storage.
Comalander Stadium is now sporting several new facility upgrades. Both the visitor and home side bleachers have been replaced, and new home and visitor field house locker rooms were built at the south end of the stadium. The 2015 bond included funding for new tennis courts at the BAC Tennis Center, bringing the total number of courts up to 18. Several other courts were resurfaced, and given a full lighting system to improve play at night.
The 2015 bond provided funds to renovate buildings at the Perrin Central Complex. This helped NEISD establish the budding Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC). CBAC members toured the Diesel Mechanics and Welding shops, along with the building that houses the Medical Trades program. State-of-the-art classrooms for Medical Technician, Certified Nurse’s Aide, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Aid and Dental Assistant programs are held there.
The final stop on the bus tour took CBAC to the North East Sports Park. Funds from the 2015 bond provided the renovation of an existing softball field into a UIL-regulation high school baseball field, complete with turf on the infield and outfield. New chair-back seats and bleachers to seat 1,500 spectators, a press box, in-ground dugouts, lighting and a new scoreboard have also been installed.
“At our meetings we look at pictures, but it’s much better to actually go see it in person,” said Patenaude. “We do this about once a year to actually go and look at what’s being done. That gives us a much better feel of what’s happening when you see the facilities in person.”
CBAC members were joined on the tour by Board Secretary Sandy Hughey and Trustees Terri Williams and Joseph Trevino, Associate Superintendent of Operations Ron Clary and Executive Director of Construction Management Garrett Sullivan.
Posted on 10/25/18
