New Shiner school gets the go-ahead
Petition for referendum fails
Friday, April 15, 2005
Barry Halvorson, Victoria Advocate Reporter

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SHINER - The Shiner school board Wednesday rejected a petition designed to force a vote on the lease-purchase agreement for the planned new Shiner school campus.

The board meeting had to be moved to the cafeteria because of the overflowing crowd of more than 100 people who attended the meeting.

On Jan. 27, the school board voted to proceed with a lease-purchase funding arrangement with Chancellor Financial to finance new school construction adjacent to Comanche Stadium. The project is expected to cost $7.5 million.

Following a number of speakers, including parents, teachers and students, the board met for about an hour in executive session to review the petition. They reconvened and declared the petition invalid.

After the meeting, school Superintendent Sam Atwood explained that the petition, which was delivered to the district on April 8, failed to meet the qualifications as established in the state election code. He recommended, based on the advice of legal council, that the board take no action on the petition.

The petition asked the lease-purchase agreement be placed on the May 7 ballot.

According to the election code, referendum petitions should include both a signature and printed name, current address, date the petition was signed and a date of birth or voter registration number or each person who signed the document.

"Each name on the petition was lacking at least two of the criteria," Atwood said. "In addition, at least one of the pages presented was a duplicate of another. I really didn't look at the petitions for accuracy concerning if a person was a voter or not because taking the petition at face value it was not accurate."

Atwood added that he did not have a specific number of signatures because the names included would have totaled less than 10 percent of the district's 2,754 registered voters. He added the deadline for submitting a similar petition to force a vote has now passed.

The board canceled the May 7 election because both positions on the ballot were unopposed. Incumbents Denise Overton and Andrew Schacherl were declared elected.

Following the meeting, Overton, who is the board president, said she did not feel that not holding the election meant the board was not listening to the community.

"I think the people in the community were asking for some answers to important questions," she said. "But how they asked was not legal. But I think the board will make every effort to satisfy to the best of our ability their concerns."

In the public comment portion of the meeting, the majority of the people who spoke during the open forum portion of the meeting supported the project.

Leading off those presentations was Teri Stratman, who presented the board with a mock check for $396.54, which had been raised by the district's elementary students in support of the project.

Several students from the high school also made an emotional presentation describing how excited they were about the possibility of a new school campus and their fears that it might not be built after all.

Several people made references to the petition with Sandra Strauss referring it to as a "monster that has reared its ugly head" and that it was dividing the community. She also questioned the motives of those who did sign.

"Were the kids ever a passing thought?" she asked. "If you're nights (worrying) were not as restless as mine, you don't have a conscience. And shame on you."

LaKeisha Coleman also referenced the petition, saying that if anything, a petition to speed up the process should have been circulated.

Most of those who spoke in favor of the petition asked for more information.

"With the election on May 7, now is the time to inform the voters of all the things they need to know," said Humberto Rodriguez. "You've got three weeks to sell us on it."

Paul Morkovsky also said he wasn't opposed to the project but wanted more information. He added that if it proceeds, he would like to see it done right.

"If you do build a new school," he said, "make it impressive."

The board also addressed other school construction related items.

Consultant Ken Leach presented the Phase I findings of the environmental study, saying that some asbestos was found in abandoned buildings on the property by the stadium. He said the initial estimate to remove the asbestos was $10,500 but that he expected further investigation to reduce that figure by $5,800. He explained that findings of asbestos on some of the walls may actually only be dust from the asbestos linoleum used on the floors. He also said there are reports of asbestos materials having been buried at the proposed construction site.

In response to questions from trustee Michael Huser, Leach said the district was still meeting with city officials about the possibility of extending water and wastewater service to the site but added that there is sufficient ground to establish a septic system to accommodate the proposed building along with expansion.

The board approved a recommendation from Leach to use competitive sealed bids to select a contractor for the project. As part of that recommendation the board approved a list of selection criteria for the contractor and subcontractors

The board also approved the selection of architect Jim Singleton of Bryan to design the new school. The initial contract is for $9,600 for the development of a program and master plan for the project. It would include a general design without mechanical and electrical details.

"We're breaking it down into stages," Atwood said. "So if there is an interruption, it doesn't throw the project completely off. In addition, if the board determines there might be a problem it gives them the opportunity to make a change."

Singleton said he would be contacting teachers, administrative staff and other district employees for input on what they feel needs to be incorporated into the design to accommodate instruction and maintenance needs. He said he would also welcome community input into the design.

Wednesday's meeting was Atwood's last scheduled meeting. The board accepted his resignation in a special meeting Tuesday so he could take a similar job with the Goliad school district. Atwood's resignation becomes effective at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

The board selected Shiner High School Principal Trey Lawrence to serve as the interim superintendent. In a phone interview, Lawrence said he will request the board consider hiring an interim high school principal.

"There are so many things going on, including the building project, that it would be difficult to do both jobs effectively," he said.

Barry Halvorson is a reporter for The Victoria Advocate.
Contact him at 361-798-3888, or by e-mail at hvilladv@vicad.com.

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