Longview ISD to consider architects for possible bond election

The Longview ISD Board of Trustees will consider hiring an architecture firm to perform facility inspections and recommend improvements.
Published: Jun. 8, 2023 at 3:52 PM CDT

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - The Longview ISD Board of Trustees will consider hiring Fort Worth-based architecture firm Huckabee & Associates to perform facility inspections and recommend improvements that could be addressed in a future bond election.

If approved during the June 12 regular meeting, the contract would amount to up to $66,000 for consulting services.

”At this time we are not calling a bond election, but the need for improvements to our aging facilities remains an important topic of conversation within district leadership,” said Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox. “By engaging the services of an architectural firm we are gathering as much facts and expertise as possible to help guide this ongoing dialogue.”

Dr. Wilcox added that Longview ISD would be soliciting input and feedback from the community about possible campus and facility needs ahead of any call for a bond election.

The complete board agenda can be found here.

Last August, the board approved a maintenance and operations tax rate of $.8546 and interest and sinking tax rate of $.4730 cents for a total tax rate of $1.3276 per $100 valuation, a marked decrease from the 2022 tax rate of $1.41470 per $100 valuation. While the appraised property values assessed by the county have continued to increase, Longview ISD has reduced the tax rate for the last four years and plans to do so again in the 2023-24 budget year.

Nearly 20 years ago, LISD voters approved a bond package that built new campuses at Bramlette, Hudson PEP, J. L. Everhart, Ned E. Williams and Ware Elementary School, as well as Forest Park Magnet School and Foster Middle School. The bonds also paid for renovations and additions to Johnston-McQueen and South Ward (now Bailey) Elementary School, Judson Middle School and the “new” Longview High School (built in 1976).