MFISD Board discusses maintenance, CTE, technology expenditures

By Emily Hilley-Sierzchula

The Marble Falls Independent School District Board of Trustees discussed at length Monday, Oct. 20, expenditures for the maintenance, technology, and career and technology education (CTE) departments.

Bond expenditure update

Many of the bid proposals, but not all, involved using bond money.

Of the $6.5 million bond passed by voters in May, administration has used $1.3 million as of Sept. 30, according to the spreadsheet prepared by the finance department and posted on the MFISD website.

Most of the expenditures, $477,000, have gone toward technological infrastructure, with another $426,000 toward the CTE program.

The remaining $5.2 million is earmarked to be spent on CTE programs ($1.9 million), maintenance and transportation ($1.8 million), technology ($923,000), band instruments ($65,200), and athletic field improvements ($450,000).

CTE expenditures

In the CTE arena, the board unanimously approved bids for renovations at the high school, in which two classrooms are being turned into an audio-video production area.

Spending on the metal works program is “closing down,” while agricultural and animal sciences expenditures are ramping up, said Bruce Peckover, CTE director.

The district ordered a Ford F-350 truck to replace the program’s 1990s-era pickup truck.

The board eventually unanimously approved Peckover’s bid proposals for two greenhouses, a horticulture building with a storefront and storage, a small kennel and a 28’ livestock trailer.

However, it was not without discussion.

Trustee Dr. Kelly Fox wanted to see a map with a “master plan,” clearly showing the structures’ locations and access. Initially, Peckover responded that he wanted to place sidewalks after structures are built “to make sure access is where students walk.”

“I’m not comfortable with this,” Fox said. “We’ll never get this amount of money again, we can’t mess this up.”

Once Trustee Larry Berkman reiterated Fox’s concerns, Peckover said he would show board members an aerial photo with proposed structures and access plotted on the map.

Maintenance

Proposed maintenance bids were not easily approved, either. 

For the full story, see Friday's Highlander.