by Nicole Bradford
Dismayed by soaring costs, Pearland ISD trustees balked at one of the bond projects on the board’s consent agenda on November 12.
“I’m going to use the restroom at the Rig as an example of where I have a hard time with this,” board vice president Sean Murphy said, referring to a $333,000 quote from three companies. “I think we’re overpaying, but I’m just one person.”
Superintendent Larry Berger said bond costs so far have been under projections, and quotes for work are received from a cooperative.
“The cooperatives and bid processes are set up to protect districts so we’re not gouged, not overpaying,” Berger said. “But it is the board’s money. It is the community’s money with the bond. The votes will determine if this passes and if it doesn’t, we’ll go back out and figure out what we can do.”
The item was among four that trustees pulled for discussion and a separate vote from last Tuesday’s consent agenda, a group of items generally approved with one vote. The AC item failed to pass the board after no trustee motioned to approve it.
Others wondered if such an expense was the best use of district funding.
“We’ve been in existence in Pearland ISD since 1910 and we’ve never heated or air conditioned our restrooms at the stadiums,” Trustee Crystal Carbone said. “I understand that it’s a creature comfort, but the costs of the short amount of times that we use those facilities, I’m not sure this is a good investment of our money.”
“In 1910, it wasn’t 90 degrees in November,” Trustee Toni Carter responded. “I think it’s a little more than a creature comfort.”
